Confessional
by MayrisErin
Summary: Flau confessed her sins to Kain, but now Void is stepping in. Eon is assigned to keep Flau in check, but his own emotions are getting in the way. What do you do when a high priest and a ninja set their hearts on a female bandit? Eon or Kain? Ch. 12 up!
1. Words of a Thief

She walked silently toward the dark, dank room where sinners always sat to confess their evil deeds. She knew her sins, yet felt no need to confess anything. Being a bandit was never anything she felt ashamed about. There was no reason to for her to have guilt. She stole for the common good of the people; taking down the pride of the wicked and bringing justice to the weak.

Flau trotted into the confession booth through the side door of the Olacian shrine. She sat in the chair that faced the opposite room and waited patiently for him to appear. She didn't believe much in the gods. She knew only one existed, but the voice was without a doubt _his._

Flau had watched him since she was a teenager. He was about six or eight years older than her, but she always envied the way he was always studying and working so hard to become the main priest and 'speaker' of the gods. He rarely slept when he was training for his current duties. Flau knew he didn't sleep now, and instead stayed awake in a conscious meditation within the chapel.

Flau was pulled from her thoughts when she heard the door on the other side of the confession room open then shut distinctively. She heard footsteps come close to the window and heard a strong voice through the box before her. "You're back again, Miss Flau," Kain said calmly.

Flau sighed, shaking the thoughts from her head. The only reason she was there was to hear his voice without making a scene on the outside. Composing herself, she spoke confidently and defiantly, "Yeah…what of it, Priest?"

Kain smiled and said, "Many things are troubling you, aren't they?"

"Not really. Life is the same as it's always been," she said in a bored manner.

"Is there something you want to talk about, my child?"

Flau shuddered at the action of being called a 'child'. She wasn't that young. "I'm not a child, Priest Kain," she said bluntly.

Kain chuckled. "I know that, Miss Flau. I just can't help calling you that. I use the term so much around those who look up to me."

Flau scoffed. "I don't look up to you."

"You used to," he said sympathetically.

Flau could feel her cheeks flush a deep crimson. Closing her eyes, she forgot the comment and said, "I haven't committed many sins lately, but I've felt guilty for quite some time now…"

"Hmm…? What's on your mind?" he pressed.

Flau got up from the seat and paced around the room. "Nothing really. Just life I guess. Do you ever think about what would happen if our race became subordinate to some higher power unlike the gods?"

"I'd rather not say," Kain said sadly. "It would pain me to see so many people of our race, and even outside of it, suffer the subordination of a higher creature that would only want to hurt them."

"What if the gods are our true enemies? What if there's only one?" Flau asked.

"It's best that you forget those ideas, Flau. Believe what you will, but thoughts of a dark future for our race will only cause you distress. I don't want you to worry," he said calmly.

"Worry…? I was just saying 'what if'," she said defensively.

Kain nodded his head. "Something tells me that you're avoiding the topic of something, Flau."

Flau felt her heart skip a beat. _Does he know?_ she asked herself feeling fear slip into her heart. _No way! He can't read thoughts! He's just a priest who claims he can hear the voices of some mythical omni-whatever beings._

"Whatever the subject that happens to be bothering you, I hope that it does not harm you in the end. You're a special person, Miss Flau. No one could ever replace your existence and nothing could ever replace your deeds."

Flau gasped slightly. Kain really did care. He wasn't just some priest who preached 24/7, he was a person; someone who shared the same empathy and respect for others. She felt her throat tighten, wanting to release all her confessions of her adoration and possibly even love to him. She clenched her fist and sat back down in the chair.

"What significance do you believe I have anyway?" she asked.

Kain did not say anything for a moment. His deep voice broke the silence and he said, "Your heart…it's warm. Much warmer than you show in reality; on the outside, you hide behind a cold shell, however, you have a warm heart that welcomes others within."

Flau felt her throat tighten even more. She opened her mouth to speak, but the door to the confession opened and she closed her mouth immediately. In the doorway stood Jack Russell; the son of the legendary Cairn Russell.

Jack glanced at Flau and asked, "What are you doing in here?"

Her eyebrows furrowed before she said, "Nothing. It's called a confession. You confess your sins to the gods. What did you think it was?"

Jack nodded. "I'm sorry, geez…don't have a fit about it," he said as he left the room quickly. Flau sighed and turned back to the window. She heard the door on the other side close, signifying Kain had left.

She sat for a while on the stool before getting up and opening the door to the outside slightly. She glanced at the majestic white priest cloak that flowed after the tall angelic being. Kain stopped slightly and glanced through the crack to the confession room and smiled directly at Flau before returning to his daily walk.

Flau felt herself blush again. She quickly shut the door and waited a little longer before leaving the room.


	2. Midnight Meetings

The night came fast. Flau left to keep night watch at her usual spot where the infamous Jack Russell had stayed when he arrived in Radiata. The young ex-knight passed her as he walked toward the door to his room. Jack abruptly stopped and turned back to Flau. "What are you doing?"

She sighed, "We've been through this about five times already. It's my night to keep watch."

"Don't you keep watch every night?" he asked with a nervous smile.

Flau smirked. "Since when is it your business to know what I do at night, Jack Russell…?"

Jack shrugged his shoulders and slouched over. "I'm not in the mood to have an argument," he whined.

"Oh, so you're not going to prowl the streets tonight like the stalker you are?" she taunted.

Jack smirked. "Oh, yeah! I have the best time chasing around creepy women like you," he stated cockily.

"I doubt it. A girl like me wouldn't give you a second glance," she retorted slyly.

"Whatever," Jack said stifling a yawn. "Goodnight, I guess."

"Don't let the boogieman get you, little Jack," she taunted. Surprisingly, Jack chuckled, causing Flau to give him a questioning look.

"I'll bet you can fend off any boogieman, right? I mean you ARE here to protect people like me right?"

"In a sense, I guess. Although, I'm not going to protect you from nightmares," she laughed.

Jack chuckled before entering his house. Flau saw the lights go out inside Jack's house and she looked up at the sky. _Am I really deserving of this kind of life? Is thievery the only way?_ she asked the sky above her. "I guess this is it," she said aloud.

"What is _it_?" she heard a voice behind her say.

Flau turned to see Rynka smiling at her with a hand upon her hip. "Rynka…? What are you doing out here at this time of night? Shouldn't you be home with Cody?"

"Don't worry about him. Ganz is watching him for me. So what's all this talk about some sort of Armageddon?" she asked leaning against the wall.

"Just…my life is so complex is all. It's nothing really. I just sometimes have these crazy thoughts about whether our profession is really justified. Thievery is wrong, but it's supposedly a good thing because we help people. However, those people we steal from, don't they ever become like the people we support?"

"That's not for us to answer, Flau. The important thing is to play our roles in this world. If we do just that, then I'm sure we'll be alright," Rynka said with a reassuring smile.

"It's just that…there's something that's bothering me that's all…" Flau stated going back to gazing up at the sky.

"What is it, Flau? You know that you can tell me anything. If there's something on your mind, then let it out. I don't talk to anyone about anything anyway."

Flau got up from sitting on the stone ledge and looked down. "I'm not ready to say it yet, Rynka. I apologize."

"Hey," Rynka said placing a hand on her shoulder. "There's nothing to apologize for, Flau. I'm not upset. Tell me if you want to. I'm not going to force you," she smiled.

Flau looked up at Rynka and smiled too. Rynka turned and walked onto the bridge over Jack's house. "I'm going back alright, Flau?" Flau smiled and waved. Rynka left out of sight and Flau stretched before walking toward the shrine again. She merely wanted to stare at the shrine. Maybe it would help her to clear her thoughts.

As she entered into the main square, she saw a tomboyish girl petting a small fox surrounded by a few friends. She smiled at the display and waved to Vitas who waved back.

Flau walked up the stairs to the Olacion Order Shrine and reached the large doors that led into the chapel. Caressing the large handles that led inside, she gently pulled upon them and stepped inside.

She paused. It had been a long time since she had been inside the shrine itself. Those days, she had been accompanied by Anastasia who taught her most of the people's beliefs. She felt her heart skip a beat as she saw the high priest sitting on the first pew of the shrine in silent meditation.

Her body fell into involuntary movements as her feet guided her toward the priest. Her unsteady footsteps echoed sharply off the walls. She watched, waiting for Kain to flinch from the noise, but no such movement was made. She stopped walking toward him when she was diagonal from his position. Her instincts told her to sit next to him, but she forced herself to keep standing, waiting for him to acknowledge her.

After a few moments, he had not moved from his meditative state, so Flau, thinking he had actually fallen asleep, began to walk out of the shrine.

"Have you decided to tell me what's wrong, Miss Flau?" came the priest's voice as he continued in his meditative state.

Flau stopped, but did not respond to the question. "What is it that the gods tell you? Why can't anyone else hear their voices?"

"Hmm…such deep questions for a young girl," he said thoughtfully. He got up from the pew and paced up and down the front row.

"By the way, Kain, I'm not as young as you'd like to think. I'm only about 6 to 8 years younger than you are," she argued.

Kain stopped. "The reason I can hear the gods is because it is my role in life. I believe Rynka told you this earlier, did she not?"

"Rynka did tell me that, Kain," she said looking over at him with a bit of shock.

Kain smiled, "There is no need to be surprised, Flau. I say what needs to be said."

"Does your gift reveal everything to you?" she asked nervously.

"No, unfortunately it does not," he stated honestly. Flau felt the air return to her lungs. She sighed audibly which caused Kain to turn. "Is something wrong, Flau?" he asked.

"No…nothing…" Flau said with a smile.

"You always wear that smile when you try to hide something," he said calmly as he approached her.

Flau clenched her fist as he outstretched his hand toward her. He brushed a few strands of hair out of her eyes then removed it. "There is something very important you must do, Flau. It may cost you a very high price right now, but you are a strong person who can handle anything."

She felt her face redden when he brushed the bangs out of her eyes. The doors to the shrine opened and echoed throughout the room. Kain respectively sat back down in his seat at the front as Caesar walked in and sat on the right side near the back of the room in the constant meditation he always was found in.

Flau left the chapel quickly and went to explore the city at night. She decided that she would go back to void and visit Ortoroz. It had been a while since she received a mission anyway. Anything was better than loafing around a shrine to her at this point in time.

Flau walked confidently through the backstreets of Blue Town of Water and Wisdom. As she passed random buildings, she saw a blue lion-like creature pass by her. She stopped, not turning to face him. He stopped too. "You're hiding something, Flau," he said clearly.

"Don't I always hide things? When did it become your business to baby-sit me anyway, Sonata?" she stated defensively.

Sonata closed his eyes which were bright yellow orbs in the night. "It's nothing. Go home, Flau. Get some rest. Make sure that your work is unaffected by the sudden change of your feelings," he said as he continued to walk toward his destination.

_Is it really that obvious that something is wrong with me?!_ she asked herself. As soon as Sonata was gone, she continued back to Void.

She finally reached the meeting room and bowed slightly to Ortoroz. "Well," he chuckled. "It's been a while since I've seen you around here, Flau. What do you need?"

Flau raised her head and asked, "Do you have any jobs that I can do right now?"

Ortoroz raised an eyebrow. "Right now…? It's almost daybreak. Besides, you don't seem to have Rynka with you."

"I want a job that only requires my skills; no one else's, Mr. Ortoroz," she said firmly.

"This is a first…without Rynka, eh? Alright then. Your mission is to steal the Crescent of Olacion," Ortoroz grinned.

"The Crescent of Olacion…? What is it?" she asked raising an eyebrow.

"It is a moon-shaped pendant that is said to possess the powers of one of the gods. The Priestess Enjela passed the pendant down to Priest Kain before her disappearance. It is rumored that it lies somewhere within the shrine. Please retrieve it and bring it back to me, Flau," he concluded.

"Why me…?" she asked.

"You used to be a member of Olacion before you ran away, right? What better person than you, my dear?" he smiled mischievously.

Flau smiled back nervously, hiding it well though. "I'll take it," she said confidently. She bowed before leaving and left back to her post in front of Jack's house. She decided to take a small nap before the morning hit. Closing her eyes, she fell fast asleep.


	3. Bei Nacht und Nebel

Something was jabbing into Flau's side. She winced in pain as she opened her eyes. "What is it?" she asked groggily. Her vision was slightly hazed, but cleared within moments. To her right stood Jack whom had been poking her awake. "What in the name of Void are you doing?!" she yelled jumping onto the brick wall she lay upon and stepping into a battle stance.

"You were asleep…it was odd. You never sleep, Flau," Jack said innocently.

Flau stared. "Well, I _am _human, you know. I'm not some super-elf who can last weeks on end without sleep," she argued.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Jack said placing his hands behind his head.

"Why are you in such a good mood today, Jack?" Flau asked suspiciously giving him a glare similar to his sister's.

Jack smiled, closing his eyes cheerfully. "No reason at all! I should get going. You never know when the knights have a job for me!" he exclaimed as he ran off.

Flau stared after him. "How come he's always so…chipper…?"

"It's because he's a child," a familiar voice said from behind her. Flau turned and saw Eon sitting where she had woken up. He smiled at her. "I'm only here because Ortoroz assigned me as your partner."

Flau glared at him. "Why did he choose you? You're not all that powerful, Eon," she said causing the purple clad ninja to glare right back at her.

He stood up and crossed his arms. "I was also sent to make sure you didn't screw up your mission." He stood taller than her by a few inches. His catlike eyes pierced into hers. People gazed awkwardly at the pair before continuing their daily duties.

"Ortoroz said this mission would only be meant for me," Flau argued.

"He had a miscalculation. The mission takes a minimum of two people; one is the distraction and the other is the thief, got it, Flau?" he spat.

"I get it! So you're the distraction right?" she asked shrugging her shoulders.

"Yes, Ortoroz told me that's my job. So when is the best time to infiltrate the shrine?" Eon said his eyes widening with mischievousness slightly.

Flau looked away as she spoke. "Nighttime. The only one within the shrine at night is Kain himself. I'm sure with your 'expertise'," she said raising both hands and doing quotation marks, "You'd be able to distract him for at least a few moments as I locate and retrieve the pendant."

Eon chuckled, "It's just Kain, is it? I'm going to have a little fun with this…"

"Don't be so arrogant. Kain is not easily fooled. If you're going to distract him, make it good that'll last at least 10 minutes," she warned.

"Ten minutes…?! You're that slow?! It'd be easier if _I _did the stealing!" he emphasized.

"Do you really want to be wandering around a church? You'd be out of place if someone else walked in. At least I've been there enough to blend in," she scoffed.

"Either way, this will be very entertaining for me," he said revealing a smirk underneath the purple face cover over his mouth.

Flau rolled her eyes before turning away from him. "Meet me at the entrance at about 20:45." She then left toward Vareth to explore the city. She contemplated what Kain would do to her if he found out about the plot.

Flau went up to the Star Tower to attempt another gaze at the sky. She still hadn't figured it out yet and wanted to see the sky. Every time she looked through the lens of the telescope, the view was black...IN DAYLIGHT! She began to get frustrated with the device and would not stop working at it until she got it to work.

As she was again trying to manipulate the view, she heard footsteps come from behind her. "Need some help with that?" she distinctively heard Jack's voice say.

"No," she sighed. "I can do it on my own." She continued to fidget with some of the controls, but nothing happened.

Jack chuckled. He stepped toward the telescope and pushed a button that opened the ceiling toward the sky. "Whoa!" Flau shouted as she gazed at the breathtaking view. "How did you do that, Jack…?!"

Jack had a big smirk on his face. He pointed to a small red button near the lens. "This button right here opens the top while the other two open the sides. The telescope falls on the open space at the ceiling."

Flau furrowed her eyebrows. "Take that smirk off your face. I would've figured it out," she said crossing her arms.

Jack continued to smirk. "Yeah, yeah…you've been messing with this device for a month now," he said leaning his head upon his hands.

Flau glared at Jack before dodging out of the room and using her shortcuts to make it to the confessional. She always went there around that time anyway.

She stepped inside the room and paced about for a little while. She heard the Kain enter the other side and stopped pacing. "You've returned again, Miss Flau," she heard him say in greeting to her."

"Yeah, what of it…? It's not like I have anything better to do. This city can get rather boring," she said flouncing herself down upon the stool.

"Do you miss being a member of Olacion?"

She thought for a moment before answering. "Not really. Old habits die hard I guess."

"What would you like to talk about today?" he asked calmly. Flau felt as if he was slowly disarming her with his voice. It came softly and welcoming; a kind voice. It always had been.

"I just…" she began, but nothing else came to her. She wanted to confess the burglary she was going to attempt that night, but she just couldn't say anything. "It's nothing…never mind…"

"Nothing…? I understand then," he said calmly. "What did you come here for then?" he asked.

"I always come here," she stated. "Is there any reason why I shouldn't come here today?"

Kain said nothing for a moment. He then said, "You still haven't began to deal with the trial you are facing. Why do you hesitate?"

Flau looked down at her brown boots. "Hesitation is not a bandit's will. I do not hesitate. I am simply resting from the things in my life right now." She glared at the window as she could barely see Kain through the iron window.

"Whatever is troubling you, should be handled quickly and carefully," he said patiently.

"Is this all you do for your life; sit there and tell me how to live mine? Gah, you sound like some obsessed parent!" she slammed her fists down upon the small platform before the chair.

"Is this life really hurting you so much?" he asked with his voice still calm. "I am here to listen, Miss Flau."

"Then you're going to preach to me right?" she said leaning back in the chair.

Kain sighed. "You judge rather quickly."

"I've got somewhere I need to be right now," she said.

After that, Kain merely heard the door to the other room slam shut. He looked down with a slight sadness. He upset her to the point of rage, although, it was more her frustration that got to her.

He walked out of the confession room and met Achilles waiting for him in the hallway. Achilles glanced over and noticed Kain's worried expression. "Is something wrong, sir?"

Kain shook his head. "It's nothing," he stated before walking ahead of Achilles toward the bridge that overlooked the city.

As he gazed out to the distance, something light touched his mind; almost as if someone, the gods no doubt were speaking to his heart. "A hidden confession…?"

"What was that, Priest Kain?" Achilles asked concerned.

"I just had a passing thought is all," Kain said dazedly.

"I see. Was it beneficial?" he pressed slightly.

"I'm not sure yet, Achilles," Kain answered honestly. "Things do not appear beneficial at the time they are revealed. Only when they are put into action with the correct flow of time they can be determined as a good thing. Many things will begin to happen soon," he responded wisely. Achilles smiled and watched Kain admirably.

"HEY! Get back here!!!" yelled a voice from behind the two.

Kain and Achilles turned to see Herz running past them with Jack chasing after her.

"I said, get back here, Herz!" Jack yelled again.

"You'll never catch Herz! Herz is busy and will not be discovered by you again!" she yelled back.

"You were impersonating Ridley! How dare you?!" he yelled as he tripped from a loose stone on the bridge. "UHWAH….!!!" He had fallen flat on his face. Pushing himself off the ground, he jumped into a fighting stance. "Only sissies run away from fights!" he called toward her.

Herz stopped abruptly in her tracks and turned toward him. "Are you calling Herz a coward?!" she asked approaching Jack while pulling out her lance. "Herz will make you pay!"

A battle ensued and Jack was the victor. "Don't impersonate Ridley again, or I won't go easy on you next time!" he warned.

Herz flinched before sitting up. She had a horrible bruise forming on her right cheek where Jack had hit her with the flat side of his sword. She placed a hand on her right cheek and got up completely. "Herz won't go easy on you next time, either!"

"Excuse me," said a warm voice from behind the two. Both Herz, Jack, Achilles, and Kain turned to see Miranda approach Herz and Jack. Her brown hair flowed gracefully after her. She stepped between the two and said, "You're both really badly injured," she said examining Jack and Herz from afar.

"No way!" Jack exclaimed. "I'm just fine!" he said with a smile.

"You're shaking, Mr. Jack. You should get some rest. Here," she said as she healed him. "Go to sleep now, okay?" she smiled.

Jack sighed. He didn't have the will to argue with Miranda. She always did heal him and he was very tired. He left down to his house underneath the bridge and turned in for the day.

Miranda turned to Herz. "Are you going to be okay, Miss Herz?" she asked gently.

"I'll be fine, Miranda. You shouldn't worry so much," she said looking away. "You scared him off. I could have taken him easily."

"But…" Miranda began. "You were both in bad shape. If things continued, you would have gotten major injuries." She healed Herz before helping her to her feet. "Live to fight another day when the situation does matter and not for petty reasons," she concluded.

Herz scoffed before wandering away from Miranda. "Whatever." Miranda stared at her disappearing form with a sad expression. "People are getting so cold these days."

"Miranda," Kain said addressing her. "That was a kind thing you did."

"You think so?" Miranda said with slight embarrassment. "Master Godwin taught me to be compassionate to everyone and everything because we are all equal."

"He is a wise teacher," Kain replied.

"By the way, have you seen him anywhere?" she asked with concern.

Kain thought for a moment. "Did you try on the other side of the shrine near the Mortal Tree Hallway outside?"

"Not yet. Thank you! I'll go look for him there right now!" she exclaimed running off in the direction of the shrine.

"These children…they're all so strong," Kain said happily. "Even Vitas who believes that she doesn't belong here; she is strong too."

"Why did you bring up Vitas?" Achilles asked.

"Vitas has a troubling life. Because of her childhood, it's hard for her to adapt to quite a few things. She has many trials to deal with."

"Everyone in Olacion has difficult trials," Achilles stated.

"True, but Vitas's life is about to take a sharp turn, maybe even in a horrifying direction," Kain stated.

"I see…" Achilles said.

Nothing else was said and Kain returned to the shrine to speak for a while longer. As soon as his sermon was over, Achilles left the building after briefly bowing to the high priest.

Kain left to the first pew on the right and took a seat, engaging himself in meditation.

Meanwhile, Flau and Eon met outside, hiding behind the walls of the shrine. Achilles left and the two had to keep distinctively quiet, which wasn't hard for their line of work.

As soon as Achilles was out of sight, Flau turned to Eon and whispered, "Alright, I need you to distract him while I search the Mortal and Universal hallways for the pendant. If I need you to bring him out of the chapel, I'll point to the front door while passing between the hallways. If I don't find the pendant, I'll give you thumbs down signal and we'll come back later, thumbs up means that I've found and retrieved the pendant."

"Understood, Flau," Eon said with malice causing Flau to roll her eyes. There was nothing more annoying at the moment than to deal with Eon's arrogance.

"Let's go then. I'm going to check the Mortal Tree Hallway first. That's the richest faction of the shrine right now," she stated.

"Take your time," Eon said confidently. Flau left to the other side of the shrine as Eon ripped his ninja outfit in several areas looking as if he'd been attacked. Taking one of his daggers, he cut his arm and spread the blood over the tears of his ninja outfit. He then entered the front door. He spotted Kain and then started moaning in fake pain. Eon had actually been through much worse pain. A few cuts to the arm were nothing. He began to stagger, continuing to moan in pain. "H-help me…" he pleaded, stumbling to the ground.

Kain slowly got up from the pew and approached Eon who dramatically outstretched his hand toward him. "Please…help me…"

Kain looked down at Eon obviously knowing he was bluffing. He sighed and waved his arm carelessly, healing the cut on his arm and disintegrating the blood. "Is that all, Eon? Even I know that you are unaffected by such small wounds. You ruined a perfectly good ninja outfit too."

Eon felt a pang of fear and defeat as he struggled to think of another idea. His primary plan worked, but he needed to construct another and FAST!

"There were Vareth students assaulting the shrine. I fought them off and they ran off quickly. Maybe you should report the incident to Vancoor to investigate," Eon said shakily, amazed that he sounded convincing to himself.

Kain stared down at Eon. Could he have overlooked something? Kain nodded, "I'll look into it. I won't involve Vancoor until I know for sure, Eon." Eon sighed with relief before nodding. "By the way, why would someone like you be concerned for the well-being of others? You are usually distant," Kain observed.

Eon felt a pang of fear of being discovered, however he kept cool and said in response, "I may be distant, but I usually do what I want. I don't like those Vareth scum anyway. They smell of trouble."

Meanwhile, Flau had begun infiltrating the Mortal Tree Hallway, starting with the closest room to the door; Vitas's room. She found no pendant in the room. Next was Dwight's; still nothing. She then continued to Anastasia's room. This took longer to look through than the other's because of all the excessive things Anastasia owned. It was comparable to Dwight's room.

She scowled at the throne. Who in their right mind would want one inside a shrine? She left the room and poked her head out into the chapel. She saw Eon facing her way and gave him the arrow signal which meant for Eon to lead Kain away from the chapel so that she could sneak to the other side of the shrine to search the Universal Tree Hallway.

Eon looked back at Kain and said, "Let's go now before they escape completely. I'm sure we could catch up to them now."

Kain shook his head. "Let karma handle this. I know that Vancoor is a disciplinary school. The headmaster will find out about the incident if it truly did occur and he will deal with it responsibly. It is not my place to punish them myself."

Flau rolled her eyes. _Why does he always have to be so stubborn? _she asked herself. She left from the door and decided to sneak around to the other hallway from the outside. Waiting until the coast was clear; she pressed her back against the shrine wall and snuck into the building from the side. Once inside, she checked all the rooms within the hallway, all of which were plain and held no monetary value. She made a mental note to herself that a good place to steal from would be the people who had rooms in the Mortal Tree hallway.

She placed a hand upon her hip and sighed with frustration. Where in heaven's name was the pendant?! She left to the door that led to the chapel in that hallway to see what Eon was doing. When she opened the door, she was met with two neon green eyes. "Why hello, Miss Flau," said Kain as he smiled brightly.

Flau gave a nervous smile before lifting her right hand and saying, "Hey." She felt her cheeks reddening. Never in her life had she felt so embarrassed. She was actually caught in the middle of a job.

"What brings you here at this time of night?" Kain asked still smiling.

"Uh…well…nothing m-much…" Flau stuttered trying to stay calm. She could not stop the beating in her chest caused by the sudden appearance of Kain and the exhilaration of being caught.

Kain folded his arms. "What are you looking for? Usually you'd be out resting at this time of night."

Flau avoided his eyes. If she didn't, she'd end up spilling every secret she kept to him all at once, so she just stared at the floor. "I'm just wandering like I always do."

He chuckled. "What's so interesting about the shrine, Miss Flau?"

Flau felt her cheeks reddening even more. She wanted to say more than anything that he was interesting but kept her self-control. "Nothing really, Kain," she said. She happened to look up and see Eon sneaking around the chapel in search of the pendant. She let out an inaudible sigh of relief. After a minute of searching, Eon shook his head, making sure Flau got the message, and then left back to the Black Town of Night and Lust.

The pendant was not inside of the shrine. Flau had to return empty-handed. What misfortune had decided to rain upon her the last few days?

Kain had noticed her silence and placed his hand on her shoulder. "Is everything alright?" Flau cringed beneath his touch slightly but did not move from her position. She felt herself begin to blush again as the warmth of his hand spread upon her shoulder. He was so warm and welcoming, while she was cold and distant. "You know you can tell me anything you want, Miss Flau."

"Stop that!" she yelled startling Kain a bit. He relinquished his hand and gave her a questioning look. "Stop calling me 'Miss' Flau. I don't like it. It's bothersome and formal. I don't walk around calling you 'Mister' Kain now do I?" she said forcefully.

"So you just want me to call you 'Flau' then, correct?" Kain asked.

"Whatever…just don't put 'Miss' in front of my name," she said closing her eyes and folding her arms.

After a moment or so, she felt his warm hand slip beneath her chin. Her eyes shot open and she stared into his luminous green eyes which were inches away from her face. "Flau it is then," he said softly removing his hand from her chin and turning to step back into the chapel.

Flau stood there bewildered as her cheeks reddened even more. She placed her hand where his had been and closed her eyes in a reverie. She shot them open as she realized what had really happened in the eyes of a bandit; she allowed herself to be taken off guard. She scolded herself mentally, but savored the moment when he was so close to her; when his warmth spread upon where he had caressed her chin and touched her shoulder.

She wandered out of the shrine through the side exit in a daze. The ground passed by so quickly that she had to shake herself awake in order to prevent from tripping upon the pavement. She finally made it to the place where she hung out every night; by the bridge over Jack's house. She perched herself atop the bricks and dazed out watching the sky, and soon falling asleep.


	4. Lieben und Verraten

**Author's note: **_Here is chapter 4. I think I have something that's called 'fluff' in here…not much I guess, but lots of rivalry and slight conflict. More conflict promised in the next chapter. Message me if you want/can to tell me how I'm doing. I've got lots of ideas formulating so I want to know how it looks so far. …By the way, the last title for the chapter was written in German. I forgot to translate it. It means "By night and fog"; A cool saying that's fun to use when talking about secrecy. This one is translated, "Love and Betrayal" I hope you like it! Wow, this is the longest author's note I've ever written._

Flau opened her eyes as a shadow flew overhead, obstructing the light from before her eyelids. The dawn was breaking and very few people were walking about. Flau stretched and sighed as she got down from the wall. She looked over and saw Rynka approaching her. "Hey, Flau," she said. "Ortoroz is looking for you. You forgot to report back to him last night. Eon is rather miffed about that. You better get to Void pronto."

"Last night…?" she asked. She finally remembered the mission and let out a gasp of shock. "No way! I totally forgot!"

"You better get down there and soon!" Rynka warned. "By the way, you've been acting strange lately. You haven't shown up at Void for any of the meetings lately. If we don't get a move on, we'll lose all our clients."

"I know," Flau said scratching the back of her head. "I've just been busy lately."

"Hanging out at Olacion…? I doubt it. It's not like you to constantly hang around this snooty place," Rynka said tactfully crossing her arms. "Like I said, if something is bothering you, just let me know. We're friends right? Let me in sometimes. You don't have to keep everything a secret."

Flau looked over at her with understanding. "Thank you, Rynka. I'll be at Void soon, alright?"

"Alright," Rynka smiled compassionately. "But really…if there's anything on your mind, I'm here for you." Flau gave a nod, and Rynka returned it before heading to Void.

Flau sighed. "It looks like we're going to have to restart the mission then…" she then heard Jack exit his house.

"Don't you ever sleep," he asked.

"What's it to you, kid?" she retorted.

"Nothing…I'm just asking," he smirked mischievously.

"You really are going to get on my nerves, Jack," she warned.

"Oh yeah? What are you gonna do?" he asked with sarcastic fear stepping into a stance.

She sighed again. "You're really not worth my time right now," she said as she headed in the direction of the Black Town of Night and Lust.

Jack watched her leave and decided to head to Vancoor Theater to see if he had any missions.

Meanwhile

Flau attended the meeting. Her eyes started drooping from the boredom. "Miss Flau, are you listening?" said a deep voice.

"Huh…?" Flau looked up shaking away sleep.

Ortoroz was staring directly at her with his false eye. "I asked you if you were listening."

"Of course I'm listening," she responded monotonously.

"Good," he said before continuing, "You and Eon will have to go back to Olacion tonight to retrieve the pendant. I've found a more reliable source of its whereabouts and have discovered that the pendant is, in fact hidden behind the wall of the pulpit," he grinned.

"How are we supposed to get in there and retrieve it in time unnoticed?" Flau argued.

"Simple," Ortoroz suggested grinning even wider. "You will lead High Priest Kain out of the chapel while Eon and Elmo unlock its compartment and take it out unnoticed," he concluded.

Flau stared. "How am I supposed to lead him out of the chapel?"

Rynka spoke up, "Because he knows and trusts you more than anyone else here."

She closed her eyes. "So you're using me to betray one of my friends in order to retrieve an object? Doesn't that sound at all anti-social?"

"Our target is not Kain," Ortoroz argued. "It's the pendant. I doubt even High Priest Kain knows about it. It was kept there by High Priestess Enjela."

"I see. So what do _I _get from all this?" she argued.

"10,000 dagols to your division," Ortoroz concluded placing a bag full of currency upon the meeting table.

Flau smirked. "Right then, let's get to it. What time?"

"Same as before, Flau," Eon said. "Only change is that you're the one distracting the priest."

Flau nearly smacked him for referring to Kain with such disrespect in his voice, but declined, catching herself before she made a mistake for no apparent reason. She got up from the meeting and left toward the door, quickly bowing before exiting.

On her way back to Olacion, she formulated a plan. She had to make dragging him out of the shrine seem reasonable, but she couldn't be too passive about it either. She reached the shrine, close to her normal arrival for talking with him in the confession room.

She stepped inside, sitting upon the familiar stool and waited for Kain to enter at the other side. A few moments passed before she heard the opening and closing of the door on the other side. Kain stood in front of the window and Flau held her breath, unsure of what to say. She had to complete her mission, but lying in a confessional felt so ironic and somewhat betraying.

"Are you there, Flau?" Kain asked calmly letting his words sink in through the window.

She gripped the edge of the small platform before her, and said shakily but still able to keep her confidence, "I'm here, Kain."

"It's good to know you still come in here," he said happily.

Flau looked down at her hand which still gripped the platform. "Yeah," she breathed.

"Is something wrong?" he asked.

For a moment, she did not respond. She watched her knuckles turn white from gripping the platform and looked up shyly at the window that separated the two. She could see the shadowy outline of Kain through the small holes. Swallowing hard, she thought of something to say, "I'd like to talk to you tonight."

"You know where to find me," he chimed.

"No," she said firmly. "The chapel…it's just too odd to meet you in there…I would like to talk to you…out on the bridge…the one that overlooks the city. It won't be any trouble for you will it? I know that you only go when you have an escort," she sighed. Then she held her breath waiting for his reply.

"That would be fine, Flau. I am perfectly capable of protecting myself without the assistance of others. I look forward to our talk this evening," he said happily.

Flau let out the breath she held and looked down slightly. "Me too," she replied.

"See you tonight then," she heard Kain say before he left.

She sat there for another five minutes, relaxing. Suddenly the door opened and Jack stepped inside, making her jump. "What are you doing here?!"

"What?" he asked innocently.

"This is a confessional. You can't just waltz in here disrespecting the privacy of others! What is it with you, farm boy?!"

Jack cocked his head to one side and gave her a questioning look. "I can do whatever I want!" he said before leaving. "Geez…what's her problem. Why are all girls like that?"

The day passed by fast, according to Flau that is. Her mind was fuzzy and things passed by quickly as she walked even though she felt she was wading through water. She had no idea why she felt so nervous. She was simply preparing for a mission that evening. _Why does it have to seem so difficult, _she scolded herself. At that moment, a picture of Kain flashed in her head of him smiling down at her and she felt her face go red slightly.

As Flau made it down the Path of Insanity and Fanaticism, a purple clad ninja darted out from behind some boxes and blocked her path. She jumped; coming out of another daydream and quickly went into a fighting stance. Eon stood before her, raising an eyebrow.

"What are you doing?" he asked. "Never mind, don't answer. Have you set up the diversion yet?"

Flau nodded. "How much time will you need exactly?" she asked leaning all her weight on one leg with her hands at her hips.

"Approximately ten minutes to find and retrieve the pendant," Eon answered.

"Wow, your division is slow at these jobs, Eon," she teased.

Eon swung out his arm. "We are not! We just happen to check a place more thoroughly!" We aren't careless, so no time will be wasted, got it, little girl?" he taunted.

Flau glared up at him. _Curse him for being so tall! _Flau internally yelled. "Fine," she said sighing and keeping her control. Eon smirked under the cloth that hid his mouth before walking toward a wall and leaping upon its roof; dashing away back to Void.

The hours continued to pass until the time was 20:30. Flau stood outside the entrance of the shrine After a few moments, Eon jumped down in front of her from the roof. She raised an eyebrow. "Is that your new escape route or something?"

Eon ignored her question and said, "We're ready to commence the plan. Hurry up and distract him. We'll be waiting on the roof so that he doesn't see us. Just hurry up okay?" he said with impatience. "Keep him there as long as you can. I don't care if you ensue a fight with him."

She glared and was about to knock his jaw off of his mouth before restraining herself and walking into the chapel. Kain sat on the first pew like always. When Flau saw him, she felt her throat tighten. Swallowing hard, she approached where he sat.

Without saying a word, he stood up, eyes closed. He only opened them when he turned to look at Flau. His green eyes again penetrated hers. He smiled which made her blush slightly. Turning, she motioned him to follow. As she walked out, she could hear his cloak drift around him as he followed. She had the urge to run as fast as she could from him, but remembered the mission and brought herself back to reality.

Her heart raced as they walked out of the shrine and down the steps and out of Olacion. They reached the bridge, surprisingly Clive had turned in early, and Flau gripped the railing and took a seat upon it to stop her knees from giving out. _Honestly, why can't I keep my composure? _she asked mentally. She heard Kain stop behind her. He didn't say anything. He simply stared over at her.

Flau felt her heart pounding against her chest as if it would break through with each beat. She heard his footsteps approach even more, causing her to blush. She gripped the railing harder, causing her knuckles to go white.

She heard Kain sit next to her. Soon after, a warm hand landed upon her shoulder. She felt him lean toward her ear and whisper, "You know that you can tell me anything. I won't do anything to mock you."

Flau did not look behind her toward him. The night was silent and deserted save for the small breeze that played with her hair slightly. The warmth of his hand and his face so close to hers caused her to redden. _I'm going to look like I have a fever if I can't control my emotions! _she thought. "I just…" she began but was unable to finish her sentence. More than anything, she wanted someone to walk by to stop her from speaking. Maybe even Jack to make fun of her. However, no one came and soon seven minutes had passed.

Without warning, Kain began massaging her shoulders. She jumped slightly, preparing to turn and knock him out, but stopped herself. He had strong hands and her body relaxed under his touch. She shook her head slightly. Ninja weren't supposed to relax! They were supposed to be guarded and unable to have their defenses taken down. Flau involuntarily leaned backward and rested her head upon his shoulder.

Kain smiled at this and moved his hand from her shoulder to brush the bangs from her face. "I know what is wrong, Flau. You're bothered by the fact that you don't want to be close to anyone. Your thoughts and actions are heavily guarded. Please tell me what I can do to help?"

Flau's eyes widened. _How could he know?! _She then shook her head and sat up from his shoulder. "It's nothing," she said with a chuckle.

Kain looked at her with his head to the side. "Somehow, all my years of knowing you tell me otherwise. Why won't you let anyone in? You're distant even with your partner Rynka."

"There's nothing wrong!" she said turning to him. She wanted to walk away, but sat there stubbornly.

"I'm asking you if you'll allow me to help. I know you're going through many trying times," he said softly.

She looked away. "Yeah, what would you know, Priest?"

He then caught her eye with his blue ones and she found herself entranced with their light. Kain was drawn to her deep brown eyes. The two of them inched closer until they met each other's lips. Kain wrapped his arm around Flau's waist and held her closely. Flau closed her eyes and embraced him around the neck. His kiss was soft and gentle and she felt herself being drawn to him even more. When they broke away, she put her fingers to her lips from the tingling that ensued from the action. Kain smiled down at her as he still held her closely.

"I know a lot more than you think, Flau," he whispered in her ear. Flau rested upon his shoulder; her eyes were still closed as a tear escaped her eyes, streaming down her cheek.

Eon had Elmo keep watch until he located the designated area where the pendant was hidden. He found a small crevice to which he was able to pull open a slot upon the wall as a hinge. "Heh…and I thought only Void had secrets," he said audibly.

"Hey, did you find it?" Elmo chirped from the entrance.

Eon looked over and nodded. He then removed the golden pendant, which looked like a highly elaborate pinwheel on a chain. "This must be it," he said tucking it away in a compartment on his belt. "Let's go get Flau."

The two of them ran through the street. Eon ran expertly with his arms dragging behind him while Elmo jogged as he followed his elder brother's pace. Eon slowed before turning the corner. As he craned his neck to see where Flau was, his mouth dropped open as his eyes widened. He saw the two lip locked sitting upon the wall of the bridge. His eyebrows narrowed as he saw her lean her head upon his shoulder.

Eon inched back toward the path that he came from and motioned Elmo to follow. "Wait until Ortoroz hears about this," he said malevolently as he quickly ran toward Void. Elmo struggled to keep up.

"Wait, Eon! I can't keep up with you! Why are we headed back to Void without Flau anyway?!" he said struggling to run and talk at the same time.

Eon turned a corner and pulled Elmo with him. "Did you not see what Flau was doing?"

Elmo turned away. "Yeah…I saw, but that's her business, not mine. She can do what she wants as long as the mission is completed right?" he said calmly.

Eon shoved him up against the wall. "That's a disgrace upon Void's name! Mingling with other guilds in that kind of manner," he growled.

"If I didn't know any better, brother, I'd say that you like Flau too," Elmo stated looking down at his brother.

"Shut up!" Eon said slamming Elmo into the wall harder. Elmo let out a cry. Eon's eyes widened. He released Elmo and turned away. "I-I'm sorry, Elmo," he said looking down.

"Ahem…" said an elderly voice from below. Eon looked over and saw Godwin staring at the two. "Is there a problem here?" he asked.

Neither of them answered. Miranda ran up to Godwin and caught sight of Elmo. She put her hands to her mouth and rushed over to him. Closing her eyes, she placed a hand upon his head and healed the bruise forming there. "Are you alright?" she asked concerned.

Elmo grunted before looking up. "I-I'm fine," he said rubbing his head and jumping to his feet. "Thank you!"

Miranda smiled up at him. "My pleasure," she said. "Hmm…? There've been an awful lot of fights lately. I wonder what's going on. People are becoming aggressive lately."

"I'll tell you later, Miranda," Godwin said. "You should turn in for now." She bowed before leaving toward her house and left the three of them there. "Now, would one of you be so kind as to tell me why you're causing trouble in Olacion?" he said folding his arms.

"Nothing," Elmo began. "We were just having a small fight. He's my elder brother so we get into arguments quite often."

"I see…well, you two behave yourselves when you're in Olacion from now on," he said returning to his house.

There was silence between the both of them. "C'mon, Eon said motioning to Elmo. "We'd better get back to Void."

"Are you going to tell Ortoroz what you saw?" he asked.

"Of course, no matter what the circumstance, Void doesn't get involved with other guilds. Even if it's some sort of 'peace treaty'."

Elmo looked down. Eon started walking and Elmo followed slowly. After a moment, Eon turned back to Elmo and said, "Cheer up. We've accomplished the mission. So don't drag, okay?" he said ruffling Elmo's hair affectionately. "Don't tell anyone from Void what I just did Elmo. This stays between you, me, and the fencepost."

Elmo nodded and grinned. The two of them made their way back to Void, pendant in hand.

Eon handed the pendant to Ortoroz who smiled after examining it closely. "Thank you. Now no other guild will be a threat to the bandit guild," he chuckled. "_He _will be quite pleased."

Rynka leaned forward in her chair. "Who is _he?_" she asked.

Ortoroz grinned. "I can't tell you unless _he_ approves. Don't worry, Rynka. The man of which I speak of has only our best interest at heart."

"Tch…where have I heard that before?" she mused.

"Mr. Ortoroz, I have something very important to tell you," Eon interrupted. Elmo nudged Eon's arm and shook his head. Eon understood. "I must tell you in private," he said motioning to Rynka.

She sighed before bowing out of the room. "Honestly, is he going to confess his love for him or something?" she left Club Vampire and made her way to her house where Ganz was stargazing with Cody.

Inside the meeting room, Eon told Ortoroz about Flau and her rendezvous. After explaining the occurrence, Ortoroz leaned back in his seat. "I don't really have a problem with this. As long as it doesn't interfere with her work. However, I'll have to consult _him_ about it. He might have a problem with the guilds mingling together."

"You mean Nyx, right, Mr. Ortoroz?" Eon asked with his eyes closed in a meditative state.

"Yes, I recall you know about him," he said happily.

"You do realize that Flau causes a potential danger with the possibility of leaking information," Eon countered.

"You've been targeting Flau a lot lately, haven't you, Eon?" Ortoroz observed.

"I'm simply making observations. She knows too much to get involved with another guild. If she quits the bandit guild and joins the priest guild again, she would not hesitate to leak information. You know this, right?" he countered.

"I don't think Flau is ready to quit the guild. She hasn't found her parents yet, young Eon. There is too much for her here to forsake for the love of another. Have a little more faith in her. As for you, I suggest you continue with your work," he said standing up. "In the meantime, I will meet with Nyx." With that he left out of the meeting room and pressed a button on the stone gargoyle which opened a pathway for him to enter to meet with Nyx.

Elmo let out a sigh, "You really need to keep your nose out of other people's business, Eon."

Eon glanced over at him before putting his hands behind his head and saying, "Well, you also might be in the same boat as Flau. I saw the way you were looking at Miranda." He opened one eye to see Elmo's reaction. His assumption was right. Elmo was blushing madly. Elmo looked up at Eon and glared, eyebrows furrowed. "She was just…really nice…and there's nothing wrong with befriending people! I'm not involved with her or anything!"

"Right…" Eon mused.

Flau pulled away from Kain as she stood up. Her back faced him as she looked up at the sky and asked. "Why did you kiss me?"

Kain stood up and followed silently to where she stood. He wrapped his arms around her from behind and muttered in her ear, "Because I love you, Flau."

She felt her heart beat faster at his proximity and silence. He held her close for a few more minutes before drifting away from her and back up toward the shrine. Flau barely noticed he had gone before she turned and found the street empty. Looking over at a clock tower her eyes widened. It was 2:00! She cursed herself as she raced back to Void and burst through the door of the meeting room.

She spotted Eon and Elmo sitting next to each other. Eon had his hands behind his head while Elmo had his arms folded across his chest. "Why didn't you guys come get me?!" she yelled.

Eon opened one eye. "Oh, so you're done making out?"

Flau's face went pale when he said this. "What are you talking about?!"

Eon chuckled. Elmo's body tensed at her rage. "Oh, so you didn't spot us as we passed by to signal that we were finished," Eon said with sarcasm. "I guess you were too busy face sucking with the priest."

Flau stomped toward Eon. She quickly drew one hand back and slapped it across his face. Elmo winced and looked away. Eon clutched his left cheek as it reddened into a bruise. "How dare you say that?!"

"But you can't deny that it's true, can you, Flau?" he smirked.

"What's wrong with you?! Can't you mind your own business?!" she screamed.

Eon glared up at her. "It's only because you're putting our guild in danger. If anyone else saw what you were doing, our competency would be questioned. You are an example of Void. If you can't portray the guild with respect, then I don't think you're worthy of the position!" he spat.

"You jerk! I haven't even done anything wrong!" she retorted ready to slap him a second time. He caught her arm and pushed her backward onto the floor pinning her down.

"You should think before you act on impulse. Listen, you are a representative of Void. If you lose focus on a mission, it fails. Void can't afford that kind of loss. If we lose too much, then we'll lose the respect of the other guilds!" he glared down at her.

She gritted her teeth before kneeing him in the groin and pushing him off her. She then sat up and nicked him with her fist. A bruise began to form around his eye. "Why don't you go back to your boss Nocturne like a good dog and leave me alone?" she asked before stomping out of the room. She went back to her house for once and slept there. She wasn't in the mood to pass Olacion.

She flung herself on her bed. Unable to sleep that night, she read a book. It was titled: "Psychological Effects of Elemental Experiments" by Lily and Arnsland; a book on black magic. She didn't know why, but the book amused her. She laughed most of the night, fighting the urge to throw things around or go chase Eon with a dagger. After a while, she left her house to sit on the ledge by Jack's house.


	5. Forbidden Courage

**A/N: **I am so sorry for not updating! Finals are coming and I needed to make sure I was passing my classes, so I tried my best to make sure things were going well. I was writing this for a while and decided that it needed to get done, so I tried my best. Sorry…it's shorter than the last few…dun kill me…cowers I left a big cliffhanger…forgive me? Ah, you'll see…my deepest apologies. I appreciate the views, but I want more reviews…hey, that rhymed! shudder, twitch Thanks for reading! XD

Flau watched as everyone passed by in the daylight. She had no intention of going back to the Black Town of Night and Lust as long as Eon was still lurking around there. She planned to wait until he had left in the afternoon before venturing toward the vicinity. It'd be perfect for her to sneak past. Rumors spread quickly in Vareth that he was seen running through the streets with his back to the institute. She could slip past without being seen. Of course, she realized that she would have to bribe Elmo to keep his mouth shut from telling anyone he saw her.

About an hour passed and she sat there on her ledge in the sun, relaxing. Soon, a shadow obstructed the light from her eyes. She glanced over to see Eon glaring daggers at her. Startled, she stood upon the ledge quickly, preparing to fight. "What do you want, Eon?" she asked as she approximated the power and agility needed to lunge from her standing point and give Eon a broken jaw.

His eyes narrowed. "The boss would like to see you," he said briskly. "Follow me."

"Hey, I don't need an escort to see Ortoroz!" she argued. "I am perfectly capable of walking to Void by myself without getting lost."

There was a small silence between the two. After a moment, Eon chuckled. "You really are clueless. The leader of Void isn't Ortoroz." As Flau stood there dumbfounded at the remark, Eon took the chance to walk over to where she stood and grab her wrist. He then started to drag her back to Void.

"Hey, let me go, you jerk!" she screamed. People watched as he proceeded to drag her through Olacian and toward 'The Path of Insanity and Fanaticism'. Then he led her through the Vareth Institute grounds and 'The Path to the Beast Pit'. All the way, people stopped their daily routine to watch as Eon continued to drag Flau through the streets. He finally stopped when they had entered the hallway at the back of the Vampire Club.

He stopped before a stone statue and messed with one of the creature's talons who sat upon the stone pillar. An entrance to their left was created as the stone wall rose up from the frame of the ground.

Eon then dragged her through the newfound entrance as it closed shut behind her. The room they stood in was pitch-black save for the eerie glow from the inner chamber beyond the hallway. Eon pushed her forward as he followed her into the room where the blue glow emitted from.

She looked around and found the blue glow coming from a foreign looking light that an odd looking creature levitated by. The creature was in the center of the room. It looked up at Flau; piercing white eyes penetrating her brown ones as if looking through her outward appearance to the depths of her truest intentions. The creature was indeed frightening. It seemed to be a cross between a certain cat and a light elf. It wore a long black and red cape.

Flau's eyes wandered down its frame. The creature had no legs, or waist for that matter. Instead, its lower half was replaced by what looked like a mix between a pen and a spinning top. She didn't need to think twice to understand the feel of the room; it was tainted with the creature's dark and powerful aura. She knew that neither she nor anyone else in the guild could defeat this stranger.

A low growl came from another figure that stood to the creature's right. It was similar to the previous creature in appearance save for the bottom half. She could swear it was a lion in a human's body; its features were so detailed and clean cut.

Behind her, she heard a ruffling of clothing. She peeked over her shoulder to see Eon on one knee in a bow, gazing at the ground.

The creature in to the right of the one that hovered approached quietly, almost like a ghost. When Flau turned, she found herself staring directly into its white marble-like eyes. She froze where she stood and felt an internal gasp as the creature opened its mouth to speak, "You will bow to the guild leader of Void Community!" The creature sounded upset. His eyes dared her to disobey, but she knew better and fell to one knee in the same respect as Eon did. She gazed at the ground for what seemed an eternity. Fear was ebbing away at every bit of courage she believed she ever owned.

The hovering creature spoke this time. "You may leave now, Eon," he said simply. His voice was deep and powerful; filled with authority and last command. She heard shuffling for a moment then Eon's vanishing footsteps as he walked out of the room. Beneath his mouth cover, he was smiling smugly. For the first time in what seemed her whole life, she wanted Eon to stay. She didn't want to be alone in the same room with these dangerous creatures.

Ripping away from her inner thoughts, she heard footsteps in front of her fade as the creature that commanded her to bow went back to his respective station by his commander's side. Flau wished more than anything right then to sink beneath the stone floor and die of suffocation. The dark aura in the blue lit room was worsening by the second, stifling her breathing.

"You've done something very foolish, Flau," the hovering creature spoke.

She hated being called foolish. She knew she was not a fool. As an instinct, she spoke up arrogantly demanding, "Who are you to call me foolish?!" She raised her head to glare at the creatures before her in anger.

The one whom hovered in the air chuckled low and replied, "My name is Nyx. I am the true leader of Void Community."

Flau felt her throat tighten. The leader was some kind of otherworldly creature! She wanted more than anything for someone to come around the corner and yell, "Just kidding," but she knew what was happening was real.

"You have mingled with someone outside of the bandit guild. That is unacceptable. It's the Priest guild no less! We're set out to kill the very priest you've fallen so easily for. Or rather…do you still consider yourself a member of their guild, Flau?!" his voice echoed like booming thunder throughout the room. She did not give any sign that she heard him. All her body did was freeze at the sound of his voice. There was something in it that sent chills down her back. This creature had hands that were stained with blood. She sensed it, and he knew she sensed it. "So…you know what your position in this is, don't you, Flau? If you betray us, I will send someone after you; you will be exterminated."

Her head snapped up. Would Void really slay one of its own?! She felt her entire body grow cold as the chills enveloped her senses causing her to go numb. "Why do you believe me associated with other guilds would put ours in danger, Sir?" she asked as she quickly added 'sir' to the sentence.

Nyx sighed audibly. "You are a representative of Void. Responsibility toward the guild comes before mingling with other guilds. Our work is to serve the community in the best way we can. Truly, we are the ones that make Radiata tick. Not a day passes when Void steals to feed children or to stop political corruption. We are the liberators, Flau."

"Well," she began. "Isn't the Olacian Order also like Void?" she asked carefully. Nyx looked at her in puzzlement for a moment. She continued saying, "They bring peace, stability and forgiveness to the guilds. Through them, people forgive us and that is how our guild thrives. We feed off of the protection of others so they will not riot against us. The same with the Mage guild; they also defend us."

"Power is through majority, Flau. In order to protect the Bandit guild, I forbid you from contacting Priest Kain until further notice," he said conclusively.

Flau felt her stomach twist into several knots as the room silenced from the echoing of his voice. She heard clothing ruffle in the air as Nyx turned away from her. A moment passed before a hand wrapped around her upper arm and pulled her roughly to her feet. "Stand," said Nyx's companion whose name was Sonata.

She was dragged away from the sight of the hovering creature and toward the entrance whence she came. Her body collided with the ground as Sonata dropped her carelessly as the wall dropped back over the secret passageway.

Tears formed in her eyes as her mind slowly registered what happened. She got to her knees and stood up. She growled slightly before turning and running out of Club Vampire toward Vareth Institute. The day had already passed. The room in which she first met Nyx seemed to speed the day toward the dusk.

She couldn't care less what others told her to do. She was 18 years old and could very well take care of herself. As she ran past an alley, she heard something drop. Backtracking slightly, she peered through the darkness of the alleyway.

A hand clasped upon her shoulder. "So," a cold voice said. "How'd it go, Flau?" She turned, almost doing a roundhouse kick to the person's head, but his hand stopped her foot in midair. "Is that the best you can do, Flau?" Eon asked with his hand wrapped tightly around her ankle.

"L-let me go, Eon!" she said aiming a punch at the bruise she gave him yesterday when she slapped him. He jumped away from her as her fist neared his face. He smirked slightly.

"Nyx ordered me to keep an eye on you," he said.

"Go keep an eye on your face in the window of that shop you steal from," she said coldly. "Why do you listen to the guild leaders like you're some government dog anyway?"

Eon looked away and asked, "Where are you going anyway?"

"It's none of your business," she spat before walking away briskly toward Vareth again. Look, I don't need some puppy following me around. Just get lost," she said.

As she neared the Vareth Institute, she heard a loud snarl as a large winged beast landed in front of the institute. She ran toward the noise and found herself standing by the entrance of the institute. She stared up at an enormous chimera with a wolf's head, a lion's body. Her mouth dropped open at the breathtaking and terrifying sight. Eon had chased her to where she stood and skidded to a halt behind her.

"What in the name of Enjela is that?!" Eon asked in disbelief.

Flau ignored his remark and ran straight at the beast, pulling out two concealed daggers at the same time. Her eyes narrowed as she leapt into the air, poised to strike her newfound opponent. Time seemed to slow to a painfully slow rate as she glided down toward the chimera.


	6. First Goodbye

_A/N: Sorry for the late update….was updating stuff on deviantart and I was drawing pics. I really suck at them, but I try. I appreciate all those who read my fanfics, no matter how small or large the number. I'm grateful that you support my stories…XD Thank you very much. I hope you enjoy this and if you can, send me some feedback on how I'm doing...k? Thanks again._

The large snarling creature moved to the side and Flau landed on one knee an a foot where the beast formerly was. A loud 'boom' was heard and then a crash. Flau winced at the sounds before looking up with one eye open.

Cecil stood before the giant wolf chimera with his arm outstretched. The chimera was knocked out cold on the ground. The man turned toward the town behind him with burning eyes. "AIDAN!" he yelled as he marched over toward the Black Rose General Store. The young, red-haired child was crouched with his eyes tightly shut as he covered his head to protect himself. He heard footsteps stop in front of him. He raised his eyes slowly to see his father's angry expression glaring down at his small form. He went back to wincing and covered his head with his hands.

Cecil reached down and grabbed one of Aidan's arms. He dragged him toward the incoherent beast. "Why did you summon this creature, Aidan?" he asked calmly. Aidan didn't answer. His body was shaking and tears were starting to streak down his pale face. "Answer me," Cecil pressed with a tone of commanding.

Aidan's voice shook as tears continued to fall from his eyes. "It was Johan. He said I was stupid and told me that I was useless. He then pushed me against the wall. I got scared…so I summoned Zachery. I only wanted to scare Johan just so he would leave me alone," he said as he broke into tears again. "I didn't mean for it to attack people…I just wanted it to scare him off…"

Cecil's look softened as he looked down at his crying son. He sighed before responding. "It's alright, Aidan, but I believe you should be careful about summoning dangerous beasts. They are too powerful for you to control and when they're set free, they create chaos. If Johan gives you any more trouble, come to me. I'll deal with it accordingly," he said dropping Aidan's arm.

"You're…not angry at me are you?" Aidan asked almost inaudibly.

"I'm not upset at you, however, your actions will be considered. I don't appreciate you acting so rashly. If something is bothering you just let me know, okay?"

Aidan nodded as Cecil walked toward the chimera and placed his hand upon it. It vanished into a mass of tiny sparks. He then walked back inside the institute. Aidan followed with his head hung low.

Flau closed her eyes before leaving the scene. Eon followed close behind. After reaching the path before the shrine, Flau stopped and glanced back at Eon. "Are you going to follow me all day?" she asked with irritation.

"That's what Nyx ordered me to do, Flau. It's my job," he said menacingly.

"You're wasting your time. I'm going to see Kain and that's all there is to it," she said turning back around and beginning to walk toward the shrine again. She went to the Confessional door and entered. Eon followed and stood at the door as she sat down at the chair. He leaned against the wall and removed the cloth from his mouth. Flau crossed her arms defiantly, waiting for Eon to leave. A moment passed and nothing was said. Flau jerked her head towards the purple clad ninja and gave him a glare that would have killed him if it were possible.

He snickered in response. "I thought you were going to speak to your beloved priest, Flau," he said in a taunting tone.

"I am, but I don't want to talk to him when YOU'RE around, Eon," she said firmly.

Eon stepped toward her and bent down to her level. "I think that you're honestly wasting your time. What makes you think that he'd want some dirty, scraggy lowlife like you?"

She fought back the urge to punch him in the cheek. She could cover him in bruises, but she knew she'd never reach his ego. It would be a waste and there would be severe consequences from Void if they found out she was attacking one of the other members. It was funny how Void wasn't afraid to slay their own, but how they wouldn't allow any members attacking its own. The rules were corrupt and it bugged her to no end.

"You should really stop communicating with the priest," he warned. "If the Priest guild found out about the affair, Void would be the target."

"How do you know that? They are a forgiving people and they don't belittle the other guilds!" she argued.

"I know because—" he cut off unable to finish. He looked down with a scowl on his face.   
Flashbacks came back to his memory and he clenched both of his fists. "I hate this guild!" he said as he looked up with rage. "I hate all the happy-faced people here that pretend there is nothing wrong in the world! They pretend that they're perfect and spread their crap about justice! I can't stand it!" he slammed his fist down upon the ledge before the window. "I hate how they treat outsiders and how they express false warmth toward those in need of hospitality! I'll tell you what they really are, Flau," he said as his voice rose to even more anger. "They are dirty, selfish, rotten, lying, sons of pigs! They preach about how sins can be forgiven and all the load of crap about worship! I hate them because of their lies! I don't want you to become like them!"

She sat there with her mouth open. The look on her face was filled with pity. "What…," she began almost in a whisper. "What happened to you…? Why do you view them that way, Eon?" She got up from the chair and placed a hand on his cheek. "I'm sure that you would never say something like that unless you had a real reason."

He looked away from her, his eyes narrowed as he pushed the flashbacks of memory from his mind. "Nothing happened!" he said slapping her hand away. "I just hate them!"

"Does my association with Kain really hurt you this much…?" she asked.

"It's got nothing to do with you, Flau! And, no, it doesn't hurt me one bit!" he yelled looking back to her.

"It obviously does if you're this upset about a small affair!" she yelled back.

Eon felt a small tear form and stream down his face. He quickly lifted his hand to brush it away quickly, but Flau caught his hand when she noticed the glimmer from the lantern. She took her own hand and gently wiped the tear away from his cheek. "If you want to say something, just say it. Don't keep it inside because it will hurt you more later if you do," she said looking away, unable to make eye contact from her reddening cheeks.

Before Flau could say another word, Eon pulled her into his arms in a hug. He held her tightly and whispered, "I…think I love you, Flau."

She felt her face redden even more. Eon lifted her chin up and gently pressed his lips to hers. Her eyes widened as his grip loosened and he placed his hand at the back of her head. He broke away and averted his eyes. "Forgive me," he mumbled gruffly as he turned toward the door. "Do what you want. I won't tell Nyx. I only want your happiness," he said as he glanced back before leaving the confessional.

Flau sat down in the chair and brushed her fingers over her lips. That was the second time in two days that had happened. What was worse was she allowed it to happen. She rested her head down upon the ledge before the window and let out a sigh.

"Is it alright for me to speak now?" said a familiar voice which caused Flau's stomach to tighten.

She shot up from the ledge and looked through the small holes of the window that connected the two confessional rooms together. "P-Priest Kain!" she stammered.

"It's alright, Flau. What happened between you and Eon doesn't concern me. I know you'll choose the path that's the best for you," he said calmly. "Is there anything you'd like to talk about?"

"Other than my utter confusion…well, do you know who the true leader of Void is?"

Kain was silent for a moment. "His name is Nyx, right?"

"How do you know?" Flau asked interested.

"The gods tell me many things. They also informed me that you are currently in danger with Void Community," he said.

"Well…I guess I am. I'm not too worried though. Things should level out after a while," she replied calmly.

"If you ever need anything, or require assistance with anything, you know you just have to ask," he said.

"I understand," she said.

"You should be careful. If you're seen around this shrine, it could be detrimental. Stay close to Eon. He'll protect you."

Flau groaned. "I couldn't care less about Eon!"

"I didn't hear you push him away when he kissed you," he replied. "You care about him…a lot quite frankly."

Flau blushed. "I do not!" she yelled.

"It's alright. There's no need to get upset," he said putting a hand up. "For now, I am uninvolved in the situation until things smooth out with Void."

"But…I couldn't do that…" she said.

"If you value your life, Flau, you'll stay away from this shrine," he warned. "Nyx will undoubtedly ask others to keep an eye on you."

"I see," she said. "So…this is goodbye for a while?"

"I'm afraid so, Flau. Please follow your heart and choose the right path," he said.

"But…the right path…does it exist?"

"Of course it does. The right path is what your heart tells you," he said.

Flau looked down. "There are so many things it's saying, but none of them make sense right now," she admitted.

"That's alright. You'll know what the right path is when the time is right," he said walking out of the room.

"Wait! Kain! Don't leave!" she yelled to him. When he did not reply, she slammed her fists down upon the ledge. "I'm sorry…" she uttered. "That's all I wanted to tell you…" she cried.


	7. Eon's Determination

_A/N: Reader's input! I want to know who you guys want me to pair Flau with. The choices are: Eon, Elmo (just for fun…XD), or Kain. You can message me, or go to quizilla and type in Radiata Stories under polls and vote there. I will put more suspense in for fillers. I'm very good at adding suspense…it's much like watching Pirates of the Caribbean. XD Please put in your input…I'll make this stretch as far out as I can; probably until the end of the game and beyond because relationships ARE NOT born in a day! They take time no matter what people say about it! Give me input if you can okay? I'm here for the reader's best interest! XD Well, onward! Yosh!!!_

_**There were people surrounding a small, skinny child clothed in black rags. The child was dirty and his hair was unkempt. The people surrounding him were dressed in priest robes. They laughed and mocked, then marched away. The child found a place secluded in the forest. There, the child knelt down and wept. Face streaming with tears; cleansing the wounds and easing the mind. The child curled into a ball, secluded in their own world; locking the doors from everyone else. **_

Flau had walked back to Void. She passed Rynka without saying hello. When Rynka addressed her, she kept walking, silent tears falling from her eyes.

"Well, fine! Ignore me! I'll do the same!" Rynka said. She wasn't having the best time either. Her son was being defiant lately and it agitated her. She turned on her heel and continued walking.

Flau reached her house and entered. She lay herself down on the bed and cried softly. She shook with tears until she fell asleep.

_**A young girl, an orphan perhaps, ran through the hallways of the Olacion Shrine toward Anastasia's room. The girl stumbled through the door and stood there in front of Anastasia, smiling. The woman looked down at the child with a big grin. Her frame was average and her hair a deep crimson. The young girl who entered asked, "Am I a good girl, Aunt Anastasia?"**_

_**The woman smiled down at her. "Of course you are, Young Mistress Flau."**_

_**The girl grinned more and pulled out a crystalline bracelet and handed it to the woman. The woman's eyes widened. "Where did you get this?"**_

_**The girl averted her gaze with slight embarrassment. "Priestess Enjela asked me to give it to you. She told me that it would ward off evil spirits and bring good luck."**_

"_**This is a very fine gift, Young Mistress. Thank you," Anastasia said.**_

_**The little girl bowed before exiting. She entered the chapel and sat quietly in one of the pews, swaying her feet back and fourth above the ground. Priestess Enjela stepped down from the pulpit and walked toward the girl seated at the pew. "You're a good girl, Flau. I'm glad the gods blessed us with such a wonderful saint in Olacion," she said placing a hand on the child's shoulder. "Anastasia is fortunate to have you as an adopted daughter."**_

_**Young Priest Kain walked over to Priestess Enjela and Young Mistress Flau. "Excuse me, High Priestess Enjela, I wanted to inform you that I have finished studying the texts that you had assigned to me two days prior to today," he said softly.**_

_**The raven haired, blue-eyed priestess turned to the young priest with a calm, yet happy, expression on her face. "I'm very proud of you, Young Priest Kain," she said. "Your progress will be greatly rewarded. Olacion is blessed to have such honorable and helpful saints in Radiata."**_

_**Flau and Kain smiled up at High Priestess Enjela. Suddenly, the chapel doors opened and a man dressed in priest robes which were soaking wet from the rain ran to Enjela. "We've located a miracle stone, Priestess! You must help us recover the artifact!" he said excitedly.**_

_**The priestess smiled. "As predicted, the stone that heals all illnesses has been located. Where is it?"**_

"_**It's in a region far from Radiata or the nearby provinces. A long journey is ahead. Are you up to the job?"**_

"_**For the sake of the faith of Olacion, I will gladly accompany you," Enjela said.**_

"_**Understood. We will help prepare for your departure," the priest said as he bowed out and left the chapel.**_

"_**Priestess Enjela," Kain began. "Does this mean that you're leaving Olacion?"**_

"_**Yes, it does, Kain. I need you to take over while I'm gone. I know you're still young and twelve years old is very young for a high priest, but I'm counting on you, just as much as everyone else is counting on me for the cure," she said. She knelt down to his level and kissed his forehead. "I brought you to Olacion because I saw your potential as a monk and your kind heart. I've been meaning to pass down the title of 'High Priest' to you. Now the time has come. It is in the records and you are now the new high priest of the Olacion Order. Please take care of the people and never forget them in your prayers." **_

_**She then turned to Flau. "You've been blessed to have been placed at our doorstep. Never forget who you are and what you are able to do. I want you to choose your own destiny. As I have been called, I want you to prepare to embark upon your life's journey too. I know it will be difficult, but you'll find it. Trust in your heart and don't forget your faith," she said as she also kissed Flau's forehead before standing up. Take care, my children. I will return soon," she finished as she left through the door. **_

_**The two of them stood there for a few moments. "My life's journey…" Flau said thoutfully.**_

_**Kain turned toward Flau. "What's the one thing you want to know?" he asked.**_

"_**Well…there are a lot of things…I guess the one I really want to know is who my real parents are," she said.**_

"_**Then maybe…finding out who your parents are is your destiny," Kain said with a smile.**_

"_**Maybe you're right. That's it! As soon as I'm old enough, I'm going to embark on a journey to find my real parents!" she said determined. **_

_**Kain beamed at her brightly; his green eyes radiating warmth.**_

Flau opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling. "But I already found them…" she said aloud. "They're dead. So…what is my destiny now?"

'_What do you want to know?' _Kain's voice from the past echoed in her head.

"I want to know what I should do now…" she said. She got up from her bed and ran out of her small house. It was dark outside; the perfect time to look for him. She crept along the shadows and walked up the stairs toward Club Vampire.

She waved to Servia as she left toward the back of the club. She opened the door that led to the office and the basement, going toward the basement. As she reached the last step, Joaquel turned and glared at her. "No further! Our territory!" he bellowed.

"I'm here to see Eon," she said. Joaquel turned back to guarding the door he stood in front of. Flau passed him and the four prison cells to her right. She entered the torture room and saw Eon feeding the rats in the corner of the room. "Eon," she began.

He turned to see her and stood up, brushing the dirt off of his uniform. "What is it?" he asked.

Interlude groaned at the conversation taking place. The man hated people and that's why he secluded himself within the torture chamber.

"Let's go somewhere else to talk," Flau said.

"Where…?" he asked.

"Let's head to Vareth. Nobody is up at this hour and the institute is always open. The library is a good place to talk at night," Flau suggested. Eon nodded and the two of them left to the institute. Roche was sleeping at the reception desk as the two walked inside. They headed to the right and walked past Cecil's office and into the library. Flau sat upon one of the work desks and Eon leaned against a bookshelf.

"What do you want to talk about?" he asked.

"I just…" she paused. Her first instinct was to talk to Eon. She didn't know why; it was almost an impulse. "What is destiny to you?"

"I don't know. I've never given it much thought," he said. "I guess it's something of a matter of choices. Then again, it could be predetermined; something you know you're meant to do."

Flau looked down. "I heard rumors that Radiata is on bad terms with the fairy creatures," she said.

"I heard that too. The Radiata knights are being sent to Earth Valley tomorrow to negotiate. Something about the dwarves selling weapons for overly expensive prices and irrational demands. The government isn't taking it very well," Eon said.

"Are they crazy?!" Flau asked in disbelief. "They're going to start a war!" she said slamming her hand down on the desk she sat upon. "Those idiots," she muttered.

Eon looked away. He found Flau quite alluring when she was angry. She had caused him to blush slightly. "What can we do about it?" he asked. "Soon we'll be called to fight for Radiata if a war begins. What will you do, Flau?"

She looked over at the ninja. "I'm going to listen to what Ortoroz orders," she said confidently.

"Ortoroz…? Everything Ortoroz commands first goes through Nyx," Eon corrected.

"Again, I'm going to listen to ORTOROZ'Sorders," she said jumping down from the desk and leaning against a shelf herself.

"You're going to get into trouble," he said putting his arms behind his head. "Our leader is Nyx. Why do you see it fit to disobey him?"

"I'm not disobeying him. I'm serving his subordinate and doing that, in a sense, is obeying him enough," she challenged.

Eon stepped away from the bookshelf and walked toward her. He placed a hand next to her head and inched close to her face, almost towering over her. "You are foolish, Flau," he whispered. "Nyx is our leader. He would be very displeased if you did not address him as such."

"I don't care," she said looking away. "If you respect him so much, then why don't YOU follow his orders? You were supposed to keep an eye on me and keep me away from Kain. Why did you defy his commands?"

Eon looked away, but did not back away from Flau. "I wanted…your happiness," he said softly, his face turning red slightly.

"My happiness…?" she asked raising an eyebrow. Eon continued to avert his eyes. "I think you only want my affection," she said. He did not respond to the accusation. He neither moved away nor denied the fact. "You really do want it…" she concluded.

"This isn't a game, Flau," he finally said looking back to her.

"Romance is always a game," she taunted.

He leaned closer to her, his body pressing up against hers slightly. His lips were centimeters from her right ear. He whispered deeply, "Not to me, love."

It was Flau's turn to turn crimson. She moved her head to her left, away from Eon. He lightly took hold of her left cheek and brought her back to his crystalline gaze once more. The moment when their eyes met hung heavily. The minutes ticked away as their gaze was left unbroken. Flau's eyes held defiance, rebellion and determination, while Eon's eyes held a sense of dominance against her rebellion, warmth, and the same determination, but for different goals.

"What do you want me to do, Eon?" she asked.

"That has a very simple answer, Flau. I want you to be mine…for eternity," he whispered in the same deep voice. His right hand was unrelenting from her cheek while his left remained on the other side of her against the bookshelf.

She felt herself blush an even deeper red. He was so close to her and was obviously not going to let her go easily. She scowled at the position she was in. In a sense, it was humiliating. She allowed herself to get caught in this trap. She kept trying to tell herself that she loved Kain and no one else would take that away, but her futile attempts to let the verse sink in were meaningless; completely eliminated by the ninja before her. He was forcing her to forget Kain and focus on him instead. It was infuriating.

She gained the courage to glare up at him with flame-like anger in her eyes. He looked back and chuckled slightly. "I've always enjoyed the way you look when you're upset. It suits you well when I'm in control of a situation," he murmured.

A surge of annoyance pulsed through her, and obeying that feeling, she placed her hands upon his shoulders and pushed him away, causing him to loose his balance slightly before catching himself upon the desk. "Buzz off. I didn't ask you to flirt with me!" she yelled before leaving the library.

Eon watched after her. He smirked. "I guess now it gets interesting," he said aloud.


	8. In The Dark

_**A/N: OMG! Finally updated! 100,000 apologies for making you guys wait! . I received a review and a fave today which sent me into a guilt mode, so here's the eighth chapter. I didn't want to confuse ppl in making them think I didn't update, so yeah... I'm leaving the 'author's note' chapter in place. This really is chapter eight, but I don't want to delete it. I really hope I did okay on this one. There is a part in it I do not own. I fail at life and I love making my fanfics a part of the storyline. I will leave markers in what isn't mine and belongs solely to the game with my captioning and describing of what they're doing. I apologize in advance, but I enjoy doing it; I am very much canon, so I rarely change storylines. Mind you, I created the fillers between that one scene... so if I'm innaccurate with what everyone else thinks happened, I am truly very sorry. I am one person with a limited amount of thinking and I don't know how well I capture the characters' personalities to begin with. So, without further delay, here's chapter 8! Enjoy and review, XD I kid of course. Review only if you desire.**_

* * *

_**Rain poured through the white and green tiled streets of Olacion. A figure cloaked in a white priest uniform moved slowly toward the shrine. They staggered with each step, nearly falling. Upon reaching the top of the stairs, they fell to their knees, clutching their chest and breathing hard. Small sobs could be heard under the cloak. The voice of a woman cried to the gods asking for assistance to make it to the shrine.**_

_**The woman regained her composure and stood up straight as she walked into the shrine. The doors opened with a loud creak, then closed with a slam that echoed throughout the chapel. The woman walked toward the first pew where she found a small child sleeping. His blond hair spread upon the wooden surface. The woman looked down upon the boy and stroked his hair gently.**_

"_**Kain," she said softly. The boy opened his eyes quickly and looked up at the face of the one person he had longed to see for six months.**_

"_**Priestess Enjela!" he exclaimed as he jumped from the pew to stand before her. Enjela smiled down lovingly at him. "What…what's wrong?" he asked with concern. "You always smile so sadly when there's something wrong."**_

_**Enjela averted her gaze to the ground before them. "I have some very disturbing news, Kain," she said softly to the point that Kain had to strain his ears. His piercing green eyes tried to probe into her thoughts, but, as always, she was unreadable to him. She took a breath before turning away from him. "I have contracted the horrible disease that we have worked so hard to find a cure for," she said without glancing back. "I must leave this place. I don't want to burden anyone else with this plague."**_

_**Kain's eyes widened. "What?! No! I can't do this on my own!" Tears began streaming down his face at a rapid rate. He began to step toward her but she glanced back at him, which paralyzed his movement.**_

"_**I want you…to lead the people of Radiata. You are now the true leader of the order. Watch over all of them, and protect them from harm. Comfort the sorrowed, and give blessings to the humbled. You are the one people will look to from now on," she said looking directly at his eyes.**_

"_**But, what about the Stone of Miracles…?! I thought you went on a search for it! What happened?" he felt as if his knees would give out. She was going to leave again, and this time, she wouldn't come back.**_

_**She turned again toward the small child and placed her hand upon his head. "Lead them, Kain. Be strong, and you'll be fine. The gods have revealed to me that you will be the successor of this order. I must leave now, but worry not, I will always be by your side."**_

_**The woman stood up once again and left out of the chapel in silence. The boy reached his arm out to her, willing her to return as the tears continually flowed down his pale face. He was grounded to where he stood. It was as if her presence alone had paralyzed him and taken away his ability to stop her.**_

Flau had decided to retreat to her house. When she arrived, she began slamming things around, furious about the entire situation. Eon had kissed her, Kain told her to stay away from him, and she was now forced to choose some sort of path that seemed farfetched. No matter what anyone said, however, she was unconvinced to change the way she acted or did things.

After breaking a few replaceable possessions, she left her house and went to confront Nyx. A few unwanted thoughts tried to suppress the action, but she ignored them. On her way to Nyx's room, she spotted a servant from Radiata Castle making their way toward the Vampire Club.

Flau followed the mysterious visitor whom walked all the way to the back of the club and through the door toward the office. Flau creaked open the door slightly to look into the hallway. The man knocked firmly upon the office door. A clear "Enter," was heard from Ortoroz.

The man stepped inside the door, allowing Flau to quickly access the hallway. She made her way to the door, grabbing the handle before the office closed all the way. Within the room, she could hear the man address who he was. She grew slightly impatient, but waited for the man to explain himself.

"Lord Larks has summoned you to a meeting in Radiata Castle," he began. "All the guild leaders are required to attend this important conference. We will be discussing matters that deal with the non-humans. If you accept, we will have a guard escort you when you reach the castle," he finished.

Ortoroz was handed a small envelope with Radiata's seal upon it, allowing him entrance into Radiata Castle. The servant then bowed and walked toward the door. Flau quickly moved from her position toward the staircase that led to the dungeons below. The servant exited the room and stopped for a minute. He caught sight of Flau's shadow from the candlelight as she moved slightly, more out of sight.

His firm footsteps approached where she hid, but they stopped immediately when the door to the club opened and several people walked in. She recognized a few of the voices as the entered. She distinctly heard Nocturne, and then, after a minute, she heard Elmo's voice along with Joaquel. She froze in her spot knowing they would pass right by her. The Radiata servant left, leaving Flau a bigger problem to deal with. She raced down the staircase and hid behind a few crates. The trio passed by and went into the Void Community torture room where they met daily.

She let out a sigh of relief and stood, beginning to walk up the staircase again. "A meeting…? Maybe I should eavesdrop, but it's so difficult to get into Radiata Castle without being spotted by anyone," she thought aloud. "If it's about the non-humans, then that must mean…" she trailed off.

"A war," said the voice that she wanted so badly to disappear from her memories. She turned looked over her shoulder to see Eon leaning against the crates beside her.

"How in heaven's name did you get here?!" she asked backing away from him and turning red at the same time as she stood up. "What are you…some sort of stalker?! I'm going to call the guards if you keep following me."

"I told you: I've been assigned to follow you. Besides, there'll be others given the same job. Maybe I should make sure they don't interfere. However, I believe the situation won't matter anymore considering our standing with the non-humans," he said with a smirk.

"I know that! So, is Nyx going to call the watch on me off or not?" she asked impatiently.

"I don't know really. His kind doesn't exactly enjoy getting involved in human affairs unless they're in some kind of debt or equal to those whom they serve." He shifted himself to sit upon one of the stacked crates. "However, looks like now, we're all united. There's no point in distancing guilds now. If a war breaks out, then it looks like we all have no choice but to fight. Are you in?"

"I wonder what started this war anyway…" she said thoughtfully. "I'm going to find Rynka. Don't follow me, got it? I'm not going to visit Kain anymore. I've got other things to worry about."

"What other things?" he asked suspiciously.

She rolled her eyes. "I really hate to do this to you, but—" WHACK! Eon fell to the floor as Flau relinquished her fist. She moved quickly running up the stairs, evading glances as she made her way toward her house. Upon reaching the balcony where she, Rynka, and Cody lived, she spotted them gearing up. Cody was clinging to Ganz as he was tying a band around his head.

"Hey, what's going on?" Flau asked, looking immediately to Rynka.

"Something's not right here. We're going to scout out who's behind this rumored war. You in, Flau?" Rynka said, making the conversation brief.

"Absolutely!" Flau responded. "But umm…" she said, looking to Cody and scratching her head. "What about Cody?" she asked, glancing back to Rynka.

"He'll be safe here. I've trained him enough to know what to do if someone tries to kidnap him. Void is protective of their own kind, so I'm not too worried," she said. "Ortoroz will most likely watch over him."

The three of them left through the alleyways. Flau smiled as they neared a wall. Her and Rynka jumped gracefully over the top, landing crouched on the ground. Flau looked to Rynka, the third set of footsteps landing was absent. She turned toward the wall as well as Rynka. There was a clambering, scratching noise as Ganz climbed up the top, looking over at them before trying to jump down. His foot caught on the ledge of the wall and he plowed headfirst into a trash bin before landing on his butt. He gave Rynka and Flau an embarrassed expression as they shook their heads with disapproval.

Flau smiled and leaned down to him, bending her knees so that she was at his height on the ground. She prodded his stomach with her hand, making the gesture that he needed to lose some of his weight. She held in a laugh as she stood back up, still smiling. He gave her an offended look, but then sighed, scratching the back of his head as his embarrassment disappeared.

The memory played over in her head, causing Flau to smile. Rynka looked to her curiously as they ran and Flau jerked her head back at Ganz, causing Rynka to place a hand over her mouth, letting out a few silent giggles. They really liked having Ganz around. He was a good person, but they also knew he too would be laughing at his previous predicament.

The night did well to cloak them, allowing easier access to the streets that they passed. No one would've stopped them anyway; not at night. Void members were proven to be stronger then. Bandits had inborn abilities with the night that gave them precisely what they needed to become dangerous predators, much like the black panther who hides in wait.

Rynka informed them of what was going on as they traveled across the grassy plains. "I heard rumors of a brigade moving out. Had to pump that pipsqueak Elmo to get the dig on it…" she said, walking a little slower. She then added. "Didja hear? A man spotted that kid, Jack, and that knight, Ridley leaving Radiata an hour or so ago…" she added, looking back to them.

"M-Master Jack!? Lady Ridley!?" Ganz exclaimed, stopping in his tracks. "Lady Rynka, did anyone see which way they were going?" he asked, looking to them.

Rynka shrugged. "The guy refused to follow. Instead, he reported right to the castle. Half the story was gone in an instant. Although, word is, neither is ever returning. They've been marked as traitors to the humans. At least, that's what the word is 'round the streets," she said after stopping and turning to him. "You knew Jack too? That kid who was always pokin' around Void Community?" she asked, placing a hand on her hip.

"I did. Master Jack was one of my subordinates of the Radiata Knights. As well as Lady Ridley. I can't see why they'd do something so dramatic as to betray the humans. How can that be?"

"A war…" Flau said, looking up suddenly. "I eavesdropped on Ortoroz a bit today. He was being summoned to the castle for an important meeting tonight. Do you guys think that…?" she asked.

Rynka nodded after thinking about it. "Maybe. It's definitely probable. What do you think, Ganz?"

"I'm not sure what Radiata is planning, but I am sure that Master Jack and Lady Ridley are not blind to these occurrences. Let's move out and find that brigade. Maybe it will provide us with the answers necessary to fill in the blanks!"

Rynka and Flau nodded before the three of them ran off, continuing their trek into the wilderness. Rynka put her arm out, stopping Ganz and Flau, looking to the ground below. She knelt down and ran her hand along the sand on the trail before standing. "These tracks are fresh. We're not far from them," she whispered in an almost inaudible voice before continuing at a much quieter pace, Flau and Ganz following suit.

(Game Play)

Ganz led the way now, eyes sharp. He stopped abruptly, as did the others upon hearing voices echoing over a rock face. He stood, watching and listening with Rynka and Flau right behind him. Several, large tents were set up around an even larger, ornate one where a tall, tanned man with a small crop of white hair and heavy armor was sitting within. Two guards flanked either side of him talking and joking with each other. The three bandits spotted another set of rocks where they could get a closer view and a better hearing distance. On three, they dodged from the ones they were hiding behind to the destined mound, backs against the mound of rocks. The three of them now leaned out from the mound and listen in. Rynka peered over the rock, looking at them

She spotted the man clearly, now able to take in his sinister, brown eyes and devilishly malevolent grin. "The guy in that tent… What the heck is he up to?" she asked, narrowing her eyes only slightly to get a better look, trying to see right through him.

"I don't know for sure, but I do know that he's plotting something. He's up to no good," Ganz said, narrowing his eyes as well. Cross; he was more than just a little devious. Ganz remembered how the man loved to rub Ganz's nose in the fact that he had managed to become a favorite of Dynas. It was just a little chagrining to Ganz, but he didn't join the knights in the first place to play favorites.

They all quieted and were able to hear the knights speaking to Cross clearly over the rocks; it acted similar to an amplify theatre. "But that's when they all appeared!" one of them exclaimed.

Cross looked to him and said, "We brought the blood orcs all that way, just so we could unleash them on the City of Flowers…" He paused and added, "Who would have guessed those buffoons would be wandering around there?"

All the while, the three of them were inching closer and closer to the tent, making their way behind the one Cross was sitting in. With their backs to the far wall of the entrance, they quietly snaked over to the right side of the tent, listening more intently. Ganz felt his blood begin to boil a little, his anger rising at the words he heard coming out of the twat's mouth.

"Them showing up was a real surprise!" the knight exclaimed.

Cross smirked and said, "You're telling me. What a disaster that was! Ha, ha!" He continued to laugh and the other knights slowly joined in before they were all laughing at the crude humor.

Ganz turned away from the entrance's direction, looking down in anger, but controlling it very well. "Sir Cross brought that blood orc? What was he thinking? It's his fault Lady Ridley was hurt…" He stepped away from the tent, his voice still in a whisper. "Unbelievable! Everything is clear to me now! This settles it…"

The girls listened carefully before following suit and stepping away from the tent wall as well, looking to him.

"I know what I must do!" Ganz exclaimed quietly, running to the back of the tent and beginning to leave the campsite.

"Wait, Ganz! Wait for us!" Flau cried, her and Rynka turning to follow him.

(End of Game Play)

He paused halfway down the road, doubled over, hands on his knees, breathing harshly. Rynka and Flau caught up, their speed much faster than his. "What's going on? Why did you suddenly run away?" Rynka asked, looking to him with concern and urgency all the same.

He looked up, finally catching his breath. "I must find out… exactly what Cross is up to," he said, looking to them pleadingly. "I fear that Jack and Ridley… may be in danger…"

"Where were you planning to go? You can't possibly believe you'll find them out in the wilderness. No one knows where they went…" Flau said, shaking her head in disappointment.

Ganz stood up and nodded. "Y-you're right…" he said, sighing. "What do I do then? I can't just stand here and do nothing. I must find Master Jack and Lady Ridley. We could try to investigate Cross farther."

Rynka and Flau looked to each other and then smiled. "Ganz, ever wondered whether or not we knew our way around the castle?" Rynka asked, a grin on her face.

Ganz stared up at them before fixing his hunched posture. "That sounds good too," he said simply, feeling just a little embarrassed.

"This'll take a bit of planning, but we'll be able to get into the castle within a few days…" Rynka said, thinking about it. "By then, we should have a bit more info thanks to Void's gathering abilities. Most likely, Ortoroz will leak some important stuff," she added, motioning them to follow her back to Radiata. "In any case, I believe we've gathered quite a good amount of information from this small expedition," she said, smirking evilly and slamming her fist into her hand triumphantly.

Flau giggled a little and the three of them made their way back to Radiata, each left to their own thoughts. Flau's eyes wandered to the ever brilliant sky above. She smiled idly, closing her eyes. Suddenly, Kain's voice filled her mind and she staggered as she walked. Opening her eyes, she found she was still walking behind Rynka and Ganz. She bit her lip, choking down the tears. She missed that voice; that angelic music of his deep vibrato that lingered in his pale, smooth throat. She looked down, fighting an urge to picture it as thoughts arose in her head of what she wanted to do to that throat. What was with all of those sudden thoughts?

Her mind flitted back to the present as the three of them stopped beneath the street light they always rendezvoused at. Rynka nodded to them with a smile. "I'm retiring for the night. Flau, you're on watch again?" she asked, pleading slightly. Flau nodded mechanically, eager for several reasons to take watch.

Ganz saluted them both and said, "I believe I'll train a little longer before turning in." The three of them said goodnight before parting their separate ways. Flau was numbly walking, trying to suppress the urge to run. She needed time to gather herself, trying to think of what she'd say before approaching the kind, beautiful priest…

Her thoughts were interrupted when something jumped from the overhang of a walkway, landing before her. The catlike eyes shining in the dark only added to her mind's unease. She took a step back, but found that the purple-clad ninja merely mimicked her like a mirror, stepping forward. She shivered, finding this very stimulating. He turned several degrees as she continued walking back, he smiled beneath his mouth piece, eyes triumphant.

She tried to analyze his gaze, but found herself against the wall of the bridge overhang. Her body went frigid, hands pressed against the cold bricks. He didn't stop there, he walked until he was pressed against her, hand reaching up behind her neck and cupping her cheek. She moved her head to the side, now able to hear every detail of his breathing. It made her shudder even more. His other hand found its way around her waist, snaking around to her lower back and holding it there. He lifted his face to her ear and whispered three simple words, "I want you…"


	9. At Play

_A/N: Yay! Updates! (Btw, I posted a pic of me in my profile. Not that it matters, but it makes me feel special :3) Okay, the reviews are finally getting to me and I suddenly had a Radiata yearning. xD So, anyway! w00t! We've got character categories now! Yay!!! I only asked them to put up a few character categories because I didn't know whom people wrote about. o.o;; But, yay for categories. I can ask for more upon request, so yeah. You can search through them and find that this story is under characters "Flau" and "Kain" Although... I'm getting votes for Eon, so it might change, xD_

_In any case, I do not remember if I answered people's review questions or not, so I will answer them here. _

_1) How did I come up with the pairings? Well, I am the type of gamer that really enjoys storyline. I like the 'underdogs' in a story. The characters that are heroic, but not really emphasized. In all honesty, I'm building up my party on the human side currently for Kain, Eon, and Flau. During my 'exploration' of Radiata, I noticed that Flau was the only one in the confessional between 12 and 1 during gameplay. Kain was in the confessional between 12 and 3. He doesn't meet anyone else in the confessional between those times. It intrigued me to find this out. After reading about how Flau was originally in Olacion via her friend's list article, I got the idea that perhaps the two of them have had a relationship before and started off on that. Eon was a different story. When I first played the game... I thought he was hot. Plus the fact that those two are really hard to follow in the game because they dodge over ledges, fences and even garbage receptacles. It made me wonder if they were equals in their own faction of bandits. Eon works for Nocturne, and Flau works with Rynka. _

_On a side note, I think Elmo is so adorable! :3 I really like the idea of pairing him with Miranda... but I'm not sure on that yet. None of the pairings are final, but if it's okay, I might put a little bit of a side story where Elmo and Miranda date. i.e. he runs around helping her search for Godwin, :p_

_Basically, the characters came together because of my incessant thoughts during the game. I spent a LOT of time in Olacion. I like the music, xD And you can get the music from bluelaguna if you like._

_2) Did you play the game? Did you recruit Nyx? i absolutely LOVE Radiata Stories. When I first got it, I was a gamer addict at Christmas and eating a bag of Dove chocolate to keep me nourished. o.o It was so intriguing. Just like when I first got FFX, but with a lot more friendly feel. The storyline is simple, but very unique. It's not your everyday 'run of the mill' dragon vs. hero and hero gets girl story. Although, it could be the basis. I love politics! And it had a lot of that in it. Yes, there's actually a part in the game I don't understand. (When Jasne accuses Larks that since he wrote the Knights Charter, Ganz and Jack are subjected to the punishment for poor judgement. But Larks found no flaw in their judgment. I'm so very confused on this.) But anyway, I have played the game. Currently playing the human side and working to recruit Nyx. The human side is BY FAR more dramatic! And realistic to the efforts of war, but I much prefer the non-human side. No spoilers! I'm still playing human side! xD_

_3) What exactly were Eon and Flau discussing at the beginning of chapter 9? Basically, in times of war, the guilds band together to assist the whole of Radiata. Flau wanted to know, that because of the unification, if Nyx would lift her probation considering that everyone is now supposed to work together to protect Radiata. Considering that Nyx does not view anyone equal or superior to him, Eon didn't know how to respond. He can't think for Nyx, so he makes assumptions based on what he knows. _

_4) What the heck is Eon doing at the end of chapter 9? Haha, read below and you'll see._

_Okay, questions answered... I added... -cough- Something new... please don't hate me for adding a new character. And if you love me you'll read all the way through to the end and not skip ahead. Show some love for Mayris! Maybe it'll keep you all from hating me! -hides-_

_-Mayris_

* * *

**"**_**What's wrong?" **_

_**The sobbing boy looked up angrily, wanting to strike down whomever witnessed him in his pathetic state. **_

_**His hand was blocked and he stared up at a young girl clad in a green dress. "You're hurt!" she exclaimed in concern. Kneeling to him, she pulled out a bandage. Unwrapping it quickly, she placed it over the scrape on his cheek. "There!" she said happily, smiling and giggling. **_

**"**_**Huh?" the young boy asked, placing his hand over the bandage.**_

**"**_**Sometimes the monks can be really cruel for no reason… Hey! I know! I'll look after you!" she smiled. "I'll make sure they don't beat you up anymore!"**_

**"**_**What…?" he asked.**_

**"**_**Yeah, it's not right to bully others. Priestess Enjela taught us that we're supposed to help those in need! I want to help everyone! Especially people who look sad… Hey! C'mon! Let's play!" she said, taking him by the hand.**_

_**The young boy smiled, gripping her hand back as they ran through the green and white paved path.**_

"I want you…" Eon said, staring right at her.

Flau drew back from Eon, pressing back farther into the wall. "You want me to what?" she asked smartly, raising an eyebrow in defiance.

He stared into her eyes, not moving one bit from them. "You know what I meant," he stated, pulling her towards him in a hug. Being in a daze all day and just completing work, the soft, purple cloth felt good against her cheek and his chest was firm, providing her with a pillow.

Momentarily, she closed her eyes, wanting to sleep. But then, the feeling of him stroking her hair and back snapped her out of the daze. She pulled away, quivering. He moved to pull her back and she gripped his shoulders, pushing him away. "Eon…" she growled, going into a fighting stance.

Benignly, he asked, "Yes, my dear?"

"The hell are you doing!?" she exclaimed.

He cocked his head to the side. "Serenading."

She furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. "What!?"

"You're the kind of girl that one has to win," he took a step closer, bending his knees and placing two fingers over his mouth. His other hand gracefully drew his tanto. He flipped it easily so that the blade was parallel with his arm.

She blinked a few times in confusion. Flau hesitated and then stepped back into her own fighting stance, drawing a purple dagger from her waist. She glared to him in defense. "Beating me won't win you any prize," she stated.

He didn't say anything and lunged forward, jutting his shoulder out to knock her down. Expecting this, she jumped back, striking out with her dagger as a warning. "Eon, this is madness!" she shouted. There was already a crowd of bandits gathering about to watch.

He kept his focus steady. "You're too stubborn to allow anything else," he stated calmly, running forward with his tanto. He struck out and she managed to block, shaking under his strength. He wasn't holding back at all, but she had confidence that she could defeat him. With a grunt, she parried it and lashed out herself, flipping her dagger in the air and striking out once.

He blocked as well and struck out. Three hits were exchanged between the two, each parried easily by the other as if the two were exchanging taunts. In frustration at the pure stupidity of the fight, she struck three times. As she spun into the last attack, he stepped forward, tripping her and landing a blow to her shoulder with his elbow. Flau lost her balance, toppling over and sending her dagger skidding across the street. He stood, glaring for a moment before sheathing his tanto. Clearing his throat, he sighed, "I told you before. This isn't a game to me."

Anger was running through her. She wasn't in the mood to hear what he had to say. Even if he was saying that he was a bigshot loser, he damaged her pride. Anything, even the sound of his voice pissed her off right now. She gripped the earth beneath her and threw a fistful of sand into his face. He promptly blocked it and she leaned back, jumping to her feet. She clenched her fists, feeling the anger rush more strongly. She growled and ran out of Bandit Town. Eon spotted her dagger and picked it up, smirking as he did so. He attached it to his belt; a trophy from his victory.

She pushed herself to run until it hurt. Ironically, she slammed into something and it DID hurt. "Ow!" she fell back, hitting the pavement in front of Vareth Institute. She rubbed her arm, where she landed, and swiveled about to see what she had hit.

The Vice President also was on the ground. He rubbed his side a little and then stood, gathering the folder he was carting before offering his hand to Flau. "Hello, there. Are you alright?" he asked with a smile. She nodded, the anger diminishing.

Cecil was a kind man who she really held no anger towards. She got up on her own, brushing herself off. "Yeah, I'm alright," she said with an undercurrent of bitterness which she wouldn't be ridding of anytime soon. She looked up at the clock with read 11:00. Yep, he was heading home about now.

"I'm sorry about that. I hope you're not injured or anthing," he stated. He looked to her neck, noticing the bruise Eon had managed to give her. "Oh, my! You're hurt," he stated, pointing to it.

"Huh?" she asked, feeling her neck. Sure enough, it sent a sharp soreness to the spot. "Ow! Well," she shrugged, "I've had worse. It should heal up easy enough."

He smiled and said, "You've got a lot on your mind. I'm heading home to make Aiden and I some dinner. Why don't you join us?" he asked pleasantly.

"Huh? Oh, no! I couldn't. That would be intruding," she stated, scratching the back of her head and looking away.

Cecil shook his head, "An invitation is intruding?"

She sighed, "It'd be a bit more trouble preparing a little more than usual, wouldn't it?"

He shook his head, "No, we usually end up with extra. And you can cure my curiosity and tell me the story of that bruise there," he smiled.

She sighed. He wasn't pushy, but she could use a friend right now. Nodding, she agreed. He led the way back to his house which was on the edge of Echidna Gate.

The house was small, but comfortable. Aiden, Cecil's son lay on the floor, wires and parts spread around him. "Be sure not to hurt yourself," Cecil warned.

"I know, I know," he said without looking up. Around the walls were doll after doll handcrafted. She was enamored by how many dolls were there.

Cecil quickly prepared dinner and it was arranged on a small, but welcoming table. Aiden dug in, attempting to mind his manners. Flau smirked. He was an interesting child.

"So, would you mind telling me your story then?" Cecil chimed in, filling his plate with equal amounts of food according to a proper diet. Flau was frugal with the food, careful not to take more than anyone else.

She paused before speaking. "I lost a fight," she stated simply, feeling another strand of her pride singed by the words.

"Oh?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "It's good to see you're alright. Any specific reason you were involved in a fight?"

She took a bite of the home cooked meal and noted how delicious it was. Possibly due to the duration in which the last time she had a real home-cooked meal was when she lived with Anastasia years back. She looked away and said, "Yeah, when isn't there a reason to be involved in a scuffle?" He looked to her with an inquisitive smile. She continued, "Just some stupid purple bandit getting in my way. I'll take care of him when I go back to confront him," she stated.

Cecil raised an eyebrow. "Sir Eon challenged you?"

She let out a sigh of anger. "You know him?"

"Yes, actually. While on a mission with Sir Jack, I fought alongside Eon. With his caliber, I am unsurprised you were beaten. Eon is a strong opponent, being taught by Sir Jack.. Miss Flau, perhaps you should take this as a lesson of some sort. Perhaps it happened because you were meant to understand something."

She cocked her head to the side. "What's that supposed to mean?"

He laughed, "Not sure, but everything happens for a reason, right?" He paused, looking to his son who was looking bored, playing with some of the food attached to his fork. "Aiden, are you alright?"

"Huh?" he asked, looking up. His gaze softened back to its bored position and he sighed, "yeah, just fine…" Cecil raised an eyebrow. "Can you change my classes to the afternoon? Mornings… they're really early," he stated, planting his arm on the table and landing his forehead on it. "You come home late, so… it'd be easier on me if you changed my classes to the afternoons," he suggested, voice coming out muffled.

"I'm sorry, Aiden… I wish I could be home when you need me, but my job requires much of my time. I don't think I can change your classes this late in the year, I apologize. Perhaps you and your instructors could work something out," he smiled warmly.

Aiden stared. "That… wouldn't be fair to everyone else…" he said solemnly. "My teachers are already really edgy around me. Asking them for such a big favor would probably make their jobs harder…"

Cecil sighed, "I'm not sure what else to suggest. The year is nearly over. Just hang in there. You'll be fine," he smiled.

Flau looked to Aiden who was sulking by now. She felt bad for him, but it wasn't her problem. Most family issues were hardly understood by her. Cody was close to Rynka and had Ganz as well. The four of them were like family, but time together… Cody was really independent thanks to Rynka's instruction. Void taught one to become independent. It also taught her to become a loner. She only enjoyed working with Rynka and now Ganz.

Speaking of, Eon was in the other faction that ran Void Community. He worked for Nocturne. He participated in Void's dirty work. He was a bad guy… Took shady jobs from the higher ups in Raidata Castle. Yet… she was falling for the bad boy each time he did something to irritate her emotions.

She quickly finished her meal and then stood, bowing to Cecil. "Thanks for the meal," she stated. "I'll try to return the favor someday," she added, turning for the door. She knew she was being rude, but she wanted to leave; be off on her own and think.

"Flau…" Cecil called lightly, chuckling as he stood from the table. "I've not helped you completely." Walking over, she turned.

"Huh?"

"You should see a doctor about your injuries."

"They're nothing serious."

He smirked. "You're stubborn like my son. Alright, alright," he stated, turning to a small desk and writing something down. He turned back to her, handing her a paper. "Go see Doctor Morfinn in Olacion. He'll be able to help," he said.

As if to appease him, she nodded. "Alright."

He smiled. "Alright," he patted her shoulder, walking her to the door. "It was nice to have you and please feel free to come by anytime."

She gave him a smile and waved goodbye, exiting the house. He watched her leave, making sure she headed to Olacion. He looked to his watch. He had about an hour left before he had to return to Vareth and report to the Institute's president along with Curtis for the meeting.

Flau sighed, sitting on a bench outside the Olacion shrine in the monk training grounds, facing the other direction. She stared at the ground solemnly, still feeling bitter about the fight. Cecil was kind, but he couldn't smother the flames of anger licking at her insides.

She stood and then looked up to the sky, feeling a little comforted by the sky above. She closed her eyes, wishing for some kind of way to forget Eon.

The breath left her lungs as she exhaled slowly, wincing only a little from the bruises. As the last bit of breath left her lungs, warmth slipped around her sides and she was pulled back into a warm embrace. She wondered if she was just imagining things, but the longer she kept her eyes closed, the more she felt that if she opened them, she would be left in the cold again.

"Is that you?" she asked in a hushed voice.

For a moment there was no answer. Without a sound, the hug tightened just a little and a chin rested upon her shoulder, breathing softly, by her ear. "Kain…" she muttered softly, eyes slowly opening. His hand gripped her side a little, pulling her back just slightly.

She leaned her head back, staring at the sky calmly, eyes fluttering closed once more. For a while, she enjoyed the simplicity of the communication, employing it as her mental escape.

Flau breathed in and turned, looking back to him. Her eyes met two slit pupils and she drew in a startled breath as they shifted to hers nonchalantly. She cringed back and his grip slowly loosened about her. She had enough room to move away from him, slap him, attack him and even throw him over the ledge.

What she did surprised him and even her later on. She dropped her head and leaned onto his shoulder. "Why are you doing this?" she whispered.

He pulled her forward slightly and ran a hand through her short hair, holding her comfortingly and hushing her as she shook with tears.

"I'm doing it because you're special to me, Flau. You're my beloved," he said calmly. He sounded so much older. So mature and level headed and here she was crying her eyes out on his shoulder like a baby.

She shook her head. "This isn't okay. Eon, I don't…" she gripped his shirt. "I can't have these feelings for you. I can't return them…"

He continued to stroke her hair. "But you can return them to him…? Why is that so?" he asked challengingly, a tone of anger in his voice.

She shook her head. "I don't know… both of you… seem to be pushing me and pulling me. I feel like a dress up doll in this masquerade. I keep changing roles because I have to fit one, but the other wants something different, but I find that I like the ideas of both at times and Kain is my only stability."

Eon drew in a deep breath and let it go. Gripping her lightly by the shoulders, he pulled her away and asked, "Why can't I be your stability? What does he have that I don't? What do you see in him?"

She shook her head. "Eon… I… I don't know… I can't answer that. I can't even answer my own questions."

"They're not that hard, Flau… What…" he paused. "What do you hate about me? Allow me the chance to change that?" She looked up. He sounded so scared and remorseful. Looking up, she noticed that he did seem hurt.

Flau sighed and said, "You should save that for someone worth while…"

He tilted his head to the side. "You are worth while. You're worth ALL the time I have in the world."

"But why?"

"That's a silly question…" he smiled, shaking his head. She didn't answer and the smile slowly faded. "Flau… y-… you don't even remember…?"

She looked up confused, eyebrows furrowed. "I… I'm sorry?"

He looked away, a small blush on his face from embarrassment. He covered his mouth, pulling up the purple mouth cover and nodding to her. "I… I have to go…" he stated, turning away. "Nocturne… has a job for us… I… can't be late." His voice was breaking. Without warning, he jumped over the bench and dove over the ledge.

"Eon!" Flau called, reaching out for him and following him to the ledge. Looking over, she saw nothing. "Eon…" she sighed, pushing from the wall and sitting back on the bench, head resting in both her hands.

Eon glanced up at her through the brush of bushes. He looked away once more, pulling out the purple dagger that belonged to her. She hadn't had the time to pick up the lost article after the battle; she had run away far too quickly.

With a gasp, he gripped the blade end of the dagger sharply in his hand, blood dribbling over the mystic purple glow. He then ran, heading for Void to visit the cells. Some alone time would be nice. His rats could suffice for a night without him. It had been a while since he had some time to himself.

"Hey! Why the sulking!" came a cheerful voice behind her.

"Hmm?" Flau asked unenthusiastically.

"You ready? We've got a way in to the castle. Path of the Spider," Rynka grinned. She then raised an eyebrow, "You okay, Flau? You look upset."

Flau shook her head. "I'm fine. C'mon! We've got a mission to do and a knight to exploit!" she exclaimed.

Rynka smiled, leading the way. "Ganz is waiting for us in the abandoned building."

"Huh? Doesn't that one lead to void?"

She nodded. "Yeah. However, we were able to find a secret route that leads right into the very base of the castle.

"Oh. That does sound reasonable," she said, following her through the door. "So… what was that knight's name again?"

"According to Ganz, he's called Cross Ward."

"Hmph… hoity toity noble name," Flau shrugged as they walked down the stairs.

"Heh, most of the knights have hoity toity noble names," she responded.

Flau didn't say anything else and simply followed her friend through the winding corridors. Eventually, they came to a wall. Ganz stood before it,

"We can't go this way," he stated with regret.

"What do you mean?" Rynka asked, placing a hand on her hip.

"I mean it's been blocked. I can't open the gate…" he stated.

"…" Rynka examined the wall from afar. The hidden passage… it wasn't even visible anymore.

"Well, got a plan B?" Flau asked with a smirk.

"Of course," Rynka smirked.

They stood pressed against the wall, watching the guards do their rounds about the castle. There was a four second span in which the front gate was unwatched. "When in doubt, use the entrance," Rynka joked in a whisper.

"I think using your head might be more useful," Flau returned, causing Rynka to smile.

Ganz pointed forward, "Two more seconds," he said quietly. Rynka and Flau were prepared. They were moving in from the left. The guard on left was always sleeping late at night.

Five seconds later, they were each hiding behind the pillars in the entrance, making their way towards the first floor corridor.

The castle was built with plenty of hiding places. They traveled through one of the side towers, reaching a lounge where the guards and knights of brigades took their breaks.

They listened through the cracked door.

"--their efforts, Cross still isn't able to get anything out of that traitor's sister?"

"Yeah. Even after having free range of interrogation, she won't talk. Either she's really resilient, or she just doesn't know."

"Which do you believe it is?"

"Me? I think she knows and isn't speaking. Family oath. Farmers are loyal to a fault. Not to mention, she's the one who trained him. I wouldn't want to tangle with her in a dark alley."

"I don't know. Who says Jack had a chance to tell her. When we got there, we searched every nook and cranny and never found a trace. There too insufficient evidence."

"There's one thing I don't get."

"What's that?"

"If Cross was so unconcerned about the blood orcs attacking Ridley, then why is he so adamant about killing Jack for kidnapping her?"

"He was concerned about Ridley. I think that he was more or less very pleased that Ganz and Jack were expelled from the castle."

"Ah, yes… he does rejoice in the disbandment of the Rose Cochon."

"Hahah, and soon he'll rejoice in the disembowelment of Jack Russel!"

"And that filthy farm brat Adel!"

The two soldiers laughed the cruelty away. Ganz looked down. "They've taken Jack's sister into custody…? We must rescue her at once!"

Flau and Rynka nodded before heading straight for the dungeons. Rynka managed to interrogate the guard upon Adele's whereabouts and kept watch with Flau while Ganz infiltrated the keep.

He then emerged with a battered Adele and the four of them left quickly, headed for a safe place to treat her wounds and get her cleaned up.

Flau led the way back to Olacion, knowing it would be a safer place to treat Adele. She decided not to tell them anything, but proceeded toward the shrine.

"Flau," Rynka paused, "what are you doing?'

Flau looked back. "There's no time. We don't have the proper skills and Olacion is closer. I've a friend here."

Rynka sighed. "I don't like owin' anybody."

"You won't. This is my debt," she responded, leading the way. She opened the large, emerald doors and Rynka hesitantly followed. Ganz was more accommodating.

Kain stood waiting. Flau approached him and suddenly felt like it was more of a marriage than a mission. She nodded her head to him. "We would like you to heal her," she stated motioning to Adele.

"What happened?"

Flau shook her head. "We found her getting pummeled in Void. So we broke up the fight. Please, can you help her?" she asked. It was better he didn't know that all of them were assisting Jack Russell.

Slowly, Kain nodded. Ganz set Adele down in a pew and stepped away. Kain stepped forward and closed his eyes, saying a prayer and then a chant. As the spell hit her, most of her injuries vanished, but a few were left untreated. "Hmm… the gods do not wish for her complete recovery yet… how intriguing…"

"But why not?" Ganz asked, flustered.

"I cannot say," he stated. "Take her to Morfinn's Clinic. He can help her to have a full recovery," he stated with a nod.

Rynka left first, eager to be out of there. Ganz helped Adele to her feet in which she bowed in thanks to Kain. Flau stood as Ganz and Adele left the chapel.

The three of them did not wait for Flau, moving out toward the clinic. "I hate following orders, but it feels like the right thing to do," Rynka mumbled.

"Flau, you must exercise great caution on this journey," he said closing his eyes.

"You know about it? Then why did you choose to help us?"

"I have selected my path, but it does not make me blind to the destiny of others. I am not the type to interfere in the course of someone's life… even yours, Flau…"

"Kain…" she plead. "What are you talking about?"

"Why did you come back here? Surely Void will punish you."

She shook her head. "That… That doesn't matter!"

"Flau," he said softly, causing her to hush. "You're wandering down a path of ruin."

"What are you TALKING about!?" she exclaimed, angry at these riddles he was spouting.

Kain sighed, brushing the bruise on her neck with gentle fingertips. "Who did this to you?" he asked even more gentle than his touch. "Surely, I helped to cause this."

She shook her head, gripping his hand. "No! No, you didn't! I was just too weak in battle to handle it!"

Her eyes pierced his in the illustration of the truth which she perceived. He simply stared back, sympathy overflowing his gaze. His hand eventually gripped hers, causing her gaze to soften.

She then sighed, leaning into him. "Don't give me that look… I don't like how you pity me…"

He closed his eyes, allowing himself a smile. "They're waiting for you," he said quietly.

"They can wait for eternity…"

"As I have to answer to my duties… you too should answer to yours. I'll always be here in this place. You know where to find me…"

She smiled, grateful for his promise. Sensing her ease, he embraced her before walking back to his place.

Flau looked to him longingly. Leaving, she ran to keep up time. Ganz and Rynka were standing outside the clinic, thanking Morfinn. Adele was clad in a green dress and looking much better than when they first discovered her. After Morfinn retired to his room, they hotfooted it toward Fort Helencia.

The dawn was breaking by the time they arrived. The infamous Jack Russell lay sprawled on the grass, looking quite fatigued.

Ganz approached him and the reunion began. Flau smiled at the moment. Doing good things always issued a similar reward. Ganz proceeded to fill in their story after which Rynka and Flau left for home.

"So… did you get it on?" Rynka asked, hands behind her head. Adele walked between them, safely flanked on either side.

"Huh?" Flau asked, embarrassment creeping upon her face.

Rynka laughed. "I'm not oblivious. You like Kain. Did you get it on?"

"Y-you're not against it?"

"No… got nothin' against him."

Flau smiled, allowing herself to blush. "I didn't go that far… but… I do like him…" Rynka smirked. "S-so what!? You like Ganz."

"Hmm… I wouldn't go that far, but he has his good points," Rynka said giving Flau a sly smile.

"What changed your mind about me associating with Olacion?"

"The fact that we just 'betrayed' the entirety of Radiata," Rynka laughed. "Hopefully no one saw or we'll be jailed."

"Honestly, who would do that?" she asked, grinning as they reached Echidna gate. The two laughed heartily. Adele smiled and Rynka took her back to her place in Void. Flau stayed at the gate, looking out over the mountains. She sighed and then turned to go back in.

She stopped abruptly, seeing a figure approach gracefully from beneath the archway. She took a step back, sensing a power that emanated from about its person. As they stepped into the light, she was startled by the sight. The man was dressed in noble apparel. Long black hair flowing back, bound at its end and two deep pools of blue eyes. His eyes scared her. They seemed to lack any human feel as they stared at her blankly.

"Can I… help you…?" she asked cautiously. She reached for her dagger, but froze when she realized it wasn't there. She had no hope of defeating this person, but she would have felt better had she been equipped with some kind of mortal defense.

"You work for Void, do you not?" he asked in a soft accent, demeaning his royal upbringing.

"What's it to you? I don't think it's any of your business who I work for…"

"Your name is… Flau, correct?" he asked.

She took a step back. "Who are you?"

He smiled. "How did you end up mixed up in the life of a bandit?"

"What?" she asked, feeling more than a little confused and now panicked that he was being so frank with her.

"Listen, mister, you're better off not talking to me, okay? Just go back into the castle and get lost!" She turned away, facing the mountains again.

He sighed and approached her. She jumped away from the ledge and moved into an attacking position, ready to take him on. "You're tangling with something that you're going to regret!" she threatened.

He stood his ground looking to her. "I did not come here to fight you," he shook his head. She glared, prompting him, if it was a prompting, to continue. "I wanted… to apologize…"

She raised an eyebrow. "You're one of those crazy guys in the palace who got hit on the head too hard and claims to be some kind of god, aren't you?"

He shook his head and sighed. "You've been searching for something for the past five years… I wanted to apologize for making you wait that long."

"Huh…?"

"My life took a sharp turn once I was blessed with my destiny and my mind was opened to a hundred things at once."

"Listen, I don't know what you're spouting, but it's pissing me off! You think you know me!? You can't just walk up to me and start explaining some crackpot story about a life I don't care to hear! If you want to tell a sob story, then tell it to someone who cares!"

He sighed and said, "I expected you to grow up strong and wise. I entrusted that growth to Priestess Enjela of the Olacion Order. My expectations… well, I can't really say that I am allowed to have any. I turned a blind eye toward your existence. That was the greatest disservice I could have done. But… humankind needed to be protected. My dear Flau, you've learned to live so harshly."

She raised an eyebrow. "Who do you think you are?" she asked impatiently.

"My name is Lucian… You are of my flesh and blood."


	10. Higher Cause

_WARNING! THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS END GAME SPOILERS!!!_

_A/N: I was inspired by Panda91593 to continue this fanfic. Sometimes I need a kick in the arse to get moving again and update my other fanfics instead of just one. n.n;; I've been working hard on Flames of Rebirth, but that can wait because I'm starting to get a little bit of insanity and writer's block for it. Don't worry though, to those readers! I'll get the next chapter of FoR out ASAP! Just needed to fulfill my Radiata hunger! :D_

_Hope this chapter is good and I apologize for all the talky talky. I am a plot writer, so of course there is conflict. If you want a plotless story with a bunch of fluff, might I recommend... *cough*twilight*cough* Please don't hurt me, though... I am neutral about that book... but the fandom is too big for me to say much... sorry. And yeah, I'm thinking of a big battle between Lord Zane and the humans, :3 Hahahah... story will get mega-intense... hopefully. I'm into catastrophic storyplots with epic battles and whatnot. So yesh, battles on the way!_

_For those who want to hear more game experiences, keep reading the A/N. For those who don't give a flying Goo about it, then skip to the story! :D (I just love Goo! He's so fraking cute!)_

_(I made up questions, yes.)_

_When you first explored the town, what did you spend most of your time doing?_

_Hee... I found Olacion... and I just hung out there. I could probably scale that place with my eyes closed. I've done it and that means I've played RS too much. _

_What's your favorite equip for Jack?_

_FEATHER EARRING!! I was so sad when I restarted without starting out strong and realizing how SLOW Jack is without that doohickey. I was so at home when I restarted with it and I just love to be able to avoid battles when the time comes._

_Who do you want Flau to end up with?_

_Personally, I don't really care. Whatever pleases my fans, is fine with me. However, I will be doing a split story as I continue. Let me explain. Remember how Jack had to choose human or non-human path? It's kinda like that. Except for the paths are actually Eon or Kain. I will be writing and finishing both sequels. I hope I don't lose fans because of this, but I'm getting a lot of votes for Eon. The pairing has actually grown on me, but this was originally a KainxFlau story, so yeah. If you are like me and don't care, then you should be perfectly content. So, as cannan with the game, thus the story has two outcomes... and possibly a Doctor Who reference... Keeheehee!_

_What was your reaction to Thanos, the manager of Theatre Vancoor?_

_Haha, I thought he was fun! I just love his verbage. Such a ruffian. I actually found him quite attractive. Rough types have interesting backgrounds. And, let's be real, someone has to talk Jack Russell down sometime. "Boo-hoo! Nothin' for you!" That line was funny too. But that was after I got over my laziness and finally did some jobs. _

_Will you write a MirandaxElmo arc?_

_I'll think about it. I'm more or less interested in creating a bunch of stories for Radiata, but not all of them romance. Some good friendship ones are really awesome and FFIX is killing my romance appetite. Honestly, I enjoy writing a lot of graphic violence. Hence, epic battle equals caution. There will be blood. Lots of it._

_Goblins?_

_There's no Goblin King! And why are the goblins all on crack!? T.T I wish there was a real Goblin King... *looks about for Jareth* _

_Last battle?_

_Omg, it was soooo fun! I really enjoyed using set tactics. I'm too low in level on my saved file to cut right through the final boss, but I really enjoy fighting him over and over again. But I really wish it hadn't been... y'know the end for him... I really liked the guy... he was hot too... maybe I'll write a fanfic about him... _

_Alright, that's it! Enjoy! And thanks for reading my rambles!_

_-Mayris**  
**_

* * *

Flau blinked. Several times. This man claimed to be her father. But. why? It was strange to her. Years of searching and she had accepted that they were killed in an accident or some kind of warfare. "You're taking this joke too far," she accused, shaking her head.

He shook his head and stepped forward. "The fact is that you're closing yourself off from the answers."

"It's not my fault, okay!? If you didn't abandon me, then maybe things would be different!" she yelled.

He sighed. "There was a lot to think about."

"Think about?" she nearly laughed. Inside, she was welling up. Forgotten emotion she had shoved away to become stronger. "Ahah… Ahahahahahah! All this time… I find I'm related to a coward!" She moved to pass him and head back to Radiata.

He closed his eyes. "Flau… please forgive me," he asked humbly. "That's all I want."

"Hmm… sorry to disappoint, but the request is far overdue," she said icily, belying her troubled and sorrowed state. He deserved to feel remorse. Withholding forgiveness seemed fitting. She blinked, biting her lip as a tear rolled down her cheek.

He turned and placed a hand on her shoulder. She jerked to get him off, but he pulled her back, hugging her. "Please, Flau…" he begged.

She tried to muster up the energy to push him away. No, she wouldn't forgive him. This man had been the reason for her anguish and suffering. The reason why she hated life so much. He abandoned her. What kind of father abandoned his daughter? Through all of these emotions, the sedative of relief was taking over. Ignoring it now was near impossible. She shook with tears and slowly, she managed to return the embrace. "Damn it…" she cursed, resting her forehead against his shoulder. "I hate you… I hate you!" she screamed.

Slowly, he stroked her hair, offering comfort to his anguished daughter. She eventually calmed. "Thank you, Flau," he whispered.

She shook her head. "Why did you do this to me?" her voice cracked.

"I wanted to keep you safe," he answered.

"From what?"

Hesitating, he said. "I am not what I seem…"

She pulled away, looking to him. "I… I don't understand… father…" the word felt foreign. It was even more awkward as it passed her lips.

His blank eyes simply stared into hers. "Humanity has been placed in my hands."

Narrowing her eyes, she gave him a skeptical look. "Humanity…? What in the world does that even mean?" The thought was outrageous. Clearly, he was losing it.

"There is a much higher order in this world than humans are meant to understand," he explained. "As of now, your race is on the brink of extinction. Once the golden dragon awakens, all human life will be extinguished."

She backed away from him. "Golden dragon? Sheesh, how many dragons are there?" she sighed, pressing her palm to her head.

"I must go now," he stated, moving past her.

"W-wait a minute! You can't just leave after telling me that we're all going to die!" she protested.

"I can, Flau. I may be… humanity's last hope," he turned with a painful smile.

She opened and closed her mouth. "Y-you can't just—"

"Time is short… the dragon awakens…" he stated. "I must kill the golden dragon. I must protect humanity…"

As he started on the path, she followed, pulling him back. "I'm sure it won't happen! There's no way we could all be wiped out from a single attack. I mean, we have the Radiata Knights!"

He looked back to her. A strong aura pushed her back. "Do not try and stop me… breaking fate can cause many catastrophic consequences… I don't want you to get hurt," he stated.

"You can't just… tell me that you're my father and then leave me again!" she protested. "You can't jerk me around like this!"

He closed his eyes remorsefully. "I am sorry. I have no choice. I thought you should know before I left."

"You're off to fight something that could possibly destroy you!"

"Not if I kill her before it awakens…"

"Her? Awakens? What do you mean?"

"In order to stop the natural flow of fate, I must destroy the vessel before it is taken over by the golden dragon."

Something didn't sound right. Deep in her gut, a bad feeling arose. "You can't be a martyr…" she said. "I just found you and now you're leaving me!"

He closed his eyes and said, "I am sorry."

"No! No, you're not! I've heard that too much from you! You're not sorry for abandoning me! You're doing the same thing over again! Again, you're leaving me alone!"

He waited. "My fate calls to me, Flau. I cannot ignore it. I will stop the cycle…"

She glared at him. "What? Do you think you're some kind of god!? You can't kill a dragon on your own!"

He smiled and placed a hand on her shoulder. "The truth, my dear, is that I am actually, a dragon myself…"

With that, he left. She watched in disbelief. As he walked away, he jumped and morphed into the mythical beast. Away he flew. She covered her mouth, stepping back. "Father…" she muttered, stumbling back to the ground. She leaned forward, hugging her knees. "What kind… of world is this…?" she asked aloud, letting her sorrow have the moment. "What did I do to have you leave me like this…? I just found you… and now I've lost you…"

She watched as the clouds parted for the moon. Blankly, she stared at the oceanic sky. The clouds looked like the ripples of a shore. The moon behind them seemed like a glowing shell. Her vision blurred with more tears.

Footfalls pierced through the silence. They paused before speeding to her side. Lightly, a hand landed on her shoulder. Startled, she jumped slightly, not expecting to be touched. "What happened?" he asked.

She shook her head, wiping her cheeks. "Nothing…" she said, forcing her voice to sound unbothered, but also put on a tone of irritation. She hated being caught crying like a child. "Go away… Leave me alone…" she choked.

His gaze softened and he knelt next to her. "Please… you're going to get sick if you stay out in this cold weather…" Eon coaxed, trying to pull her to her feet.

She jerked out of his grasp and turned to swipe at him. Easily, he caught her arm, pulling her close. Growling, she tried to catch him with her other hand. A hand cupped her cheek and caught a falling tear. Gasping, she blushed slightly. His gaze never left hers. "What happened?" he asked even more gentle than his touch.

Still, she resisted, trying to rip her wrist out of his grasp. He held tighter, taking care not to cut off her circulation. Just enough force to keep her hand from freeing itself. "Let me go," she ordered, closing her eyes. She wanted to ignore the feeling his concern was giving her. She loved Kain. Nothing should be allowed to make her waiver.

He shook his head. "Not this time. If I let you go now… then I'll never have another chance."

She raised an eyebrow. "Another chance… for what?"

"I will convince you… I am yours. My heart, soul, and mind belong only to you…" he stated.

"Then, please, let me go!"

"No! Just give me a chance! Even I deserve a chance at happiness, right!?" he retorted.

She kept silent. "You can't force me to love you…"

He let her wrist go, sighing and rolling his eyes. Angrily, he punched the ledge. "You still… you don't get it!"

She lost it. "Listen! You're not the only one going through life-shattering events right now! Don't you dare get selfish just because I refuse to be yours! You don't have a clue about me!"

He closed the space between their lips as she finished talking. Slowly, she pressed back, closing her eyes. He wiped the tears that followed from her face again. He pulled away after a moment and said gently, "I'm trying to get one… you just won't let me in…" His hand caressed her hair.

She leaned against him dazedly. "It's nothing you would want to understand…" she said.

He sighed. "I'm right here… even if you don't want to talk, I won't disappear. I'll wait for you to come back to your senses…" he said calmly. "You don't have to be alone, Flau…"

She shut her eyes. "I just can't open up to you…" she admitted.

"What are you afraid of?"

She started to answer and then stopped. "I don't want to end up betraying my heart."

"How do you even know if you aren't already?"

Again, another tough question. "You can't expect me to love more than one person at a time…"

"Then… how will you ever know what you really want?"

He continued to hold her. Oddly, she didn't stop him. She instead rested her head on his arm. "I just… I don't want to be alone…"

"You won't. I'll be here… Just have a little faith in me."

"Faith isn't the issue."

"Then what is? No matter how much I reach out to you, you're always drifting away. I'm holding you, yes. But I can't touch you. I can't reach far enough. You're a leaf in the water. No matter how close I row, you're always drifting out of reach."

"Maybe you need a net?" she suggested with a small laugh.

He smirked and let out a laugh. "That would be forcing…"

"You don't seem like you'd have a problem with that," she jibed.

"Heh, I do. Even though you've given me that chance… and I'm tempted to take it. It wouldn't be love. I will not settle for a one-sided chance of passion. I want something far more valuable than that. Plus, I would never want to destroy you." He paused and said, "Look, if you can't do that… if you can never come to love me of your own free will…" He hesitated. "Then choose the one you love the most… I won't stop you. If it's Kain, I'll do my best to support you. This is… about your happiness after all."

She looked to him disbelievingly. He stared back. "Eon…" she said. He dropped his arms from her, letting her have some space.

Above them the sky lit with the late night stars. Far away in a tower, the silver dragon perished under the blade of Jack Russell. The young knight, Ridley Silverlake was rescued from her fate and death by the one she loved. Humanity would live, but the dragons would no longer be summoned to reign over them. Even though the King of the Light Elves, Lord Zane, despises the human race, they would continue in existence. He believed they perished from the light of the golden dragon. But thus was his curse of the Algandar's plague. Without a soul in sight, Jack Russell and Ridley Silverlake returned to Radiata in the dead of night, just before the breaking of the dawn.

_**~Radiata Stories~ Confessional~**_

Flau arose late. For a moment, she was lost. Blinking, she looked around her familiar bedroom, confused. Yawning, she sat up, rubbing her eyes. As she prepared to leave her house, it wasn't until she opened the door and nearly got squished by a purple-clad ninja that she remembered what happened last night.

"Whoaaaah!" he exclaimed, falling back. Swiftly, Flau dodged out of the way, watching him fall to the floor.

She scowled, feeling embarrassed. "Get lost already," she grumbled, stepping over him.

He jumped to his feet, closing the door which had been left ajar before following Flau. "Hey, have you seen Rynka anywhere?" he asked.

"Why should I tell you whether or not Rynka's been around? I've been asleep until now, half wit!" she responded.

"Thought you'd sneak out for patrol or something," he said defensively.

"Seriously?" she asked. "You stalk me that far?"

He smirked. "Just making sure you're safe."

"Look, what happened last night… I don't like you. Bad timing. That's all it was," she snapped.

He crossed his arms. "So you're still not going to tell me what happened?"

"It's none of your business," came her sharp, but ready reply.

Olacion came into view and she turned on her heel. "This is where you turn back," she growled.

Cheekily, he pulled something from his belt. Dangling it before her, he smirked. "Don't you want this back?" he asked.

She gasped. "My dagger!" Reaching to snatch it, she nearly fell forward. He chuckled. "This isn't funny, Eon!"

He grinned even wider. "Too slow~" he taunted.

She gripped his wrist, pulling the dagger to where she could reach. "You're impossible," she hissed, grabbing her weapon and yanking it from him. A crowd moved past them, eagerly heading toward the castle. "What's going on?" she asked, looking confused.

Elmo stopped in his tracks, turning toward the two. "What are you waiting about for!? Jack has returned with Lady Ridley! There's something big goin' down at the castle! C'mon!" he shouted, turning and continuing to jog. He halted once more, turning the corner and colliding into Miranda. "Oh! Gosh! I'm s-so sorry!" he exclaimed, helping her up immediately.

She smiled and dusted herself off. "Oh, it's alright!" she said happily. He visibly blushed. "Are you on your way to the castle?"

"Y-yeah…" he answered.

"Well then, you can help me look for Master Godwin there!" She turned and was on her way.

"W-wait for me!' he called, rushing after her. A large, goofy grin took over half of his face.

Flau glanced to Eon before jumping down from the path, taking a shortcut. Promptly, Eon followed. The two of them hotfooted it over to the castle, able to avoid the large, gathering crowds.

At the castle entrance, Jack was being commemorated for his return after defeating the silver dragon Aphelion. Beside him stood Ridley Silverlake. A disgruntled, but controlled Jasne watched from the sidelines. He still had a quibble with the boy.

Jack Russell was an official Radiata Knight. Lord Larks presented him with a pendant after he was honored by the king. He turned to the gathered audience and shot his fist in the air. "Yeah!" he exclaimed. A slow applause was initiated until everyone was cheering him on. Ridley smiled. Little did they know how much he had done for all of humanity. Maybe that was the way Jack wanted it.

Flau clapped as well. He was a brat, but he had done something spectacular. She knew it. Although, an odd pang of sadness hit her in the chest. Looking to him, she suddenly felt a wave of sickness. She clutched her side and then slunk out of the group.

A dragon. Jack had defeated a dragon… was it the golden dragon her father spoke of? Then again, her father said he was a dragon himself. She had to know. But how to ask him…

"Hey, you shouldn't go off on your own for a bit. Last night has me worried about you," Eon said, leaning back against a wall with his hands behind his head.

She glared. "J-just leave me alone…" she grumbled.

Without a word, she left to Olacion. She had to know. The only person she could trust to tell her… was within that confessional. She dreaded the real answer and any of the consequences. But most of all, she dreaded the guilt his voice would bring. She loved him. But now… was she being fickle?

She shuddered. Flau didn't want to be split in half again. But Eon kept pressing. Blaming him made it easier to accept. Whether or not it was true, despite her pleadings, he just couldn't keep out of her life. The one man she wanted in her life didn't seem assertive enough to do so. He was always busy, but mature. He knew his role in life. She had now started to believe it was time to search for her own role.

As she reentered the dark room. She waited patiently. In doing so, thoughts filled her mind. What if her father really had died? There was so little she understood. All of it was very confusing. In her confusion, she lost track of time. It wasn't until she was actually crying again that a soft voice said, "Welcome back, Flau… I have… some very grave news for you…" Kain spoke remorsefully, knowing exactly what she longed to understand.

"Please… what has become of Lucian… what has become of my father…?" she asked desperately.

"It's going to be a long session… Are you sure you want to hear everything?"

She nodded. "Yes," she told him.

Drawing in a breath, he said, "Alright. Now don't worry. You're not alone in this. I'm right here… don't forget that if you need someone, you can always come into the Hall and find me…"

"Okay…" she said.

He started to explain from the beginning. "There was once a Radiata Knight named Cairn Russell…"


	11. Heroics

_**A/N: **There is a fraking MANGA for Radiata Stories! Check it out on manga fox. Search "The Epic of Jack" and you shall find it! :DDDD Omg, you guys, it's so cool! It actually made me love Jack Russell as a character whereas I thought he was a complete ass! Though it makes me have different feelings about Natalie, :/_

In any case, I received a review and it felt like I hadn't updated in forever. So here's chapter 12! Or actually the real chapter 11 because chapter 8 is epically messed up, xD Once I finish book one of Confessional, I plan to delete chapter 8.

In other news, I've made the cheapest cover for this fanfic. Check it out at the very bottom of my Bio on my fanfiction profile. Also, I'm wanting to do a read-through dub of this series. Nothing big, but enough to get my friend Liz into the fanfic. I need voice actors. All characters are open. I will probably only voice one of the side characters. I'll be doing enough of the narration.

Quiz time!

Q. Why the hell did you stop updating! Meanie! I HATE YOU!

-A. Well... lotsa stuff happened... lost two laptops and have to borrow my mum's PC. School ate my time and my stepdad is near death. I'm sorry! I'll update when I can though, promise! -bows unceasingly-

Q. What progress have you made recently in Radiata Stories the game?

-A. Recently, I maxed out my party and just finished the Dragon Lair Cave on the non-human path! I defeated the Ethereal Queen no prob! She's soooooooooo pretty! :333 Also, I've defeated Quasar, the gold dragon. She was fun, gotta admit.

ALSO! On the human path, I've successfully made a party featuring Flau, Kain, and Eon! -dances- w00t for me! :D So they're officially official now, xDD

Q. What's your favorite weapon for Jack?

-A. The Holy Sword Gram! I love Norse mythology to being with! Adding Gram into the picture is just another delectable plus! :DDD

Q. I see Elmo and Miranda on the Confessional cover on your fanfiction page. Is it official that you're going to make a story about them?

-A. Yes. I've decided that I really do like the pairing. But I'm leaning towards Elmo being a year or so younger than Miranda. But there will definitely be a story!

Q. Which character from Radiata Stories would you be willing to meet in a dark alley? Or which one do you think you could defeat, as yourself, in a battle?

-A. Cross, man! Cross! I have a few things I wish to kick into him before handing him over to Aphelion! As for beating him... eeeeeeee... no... I would be minced... in hundreds of ways. But if we're talkin' romance meeting in a dark alley... Zion... -sighs all fangirlishly- I'm a sucker for the smart, library guys with accents and blue eyes. :p You can find Zion in Radiata Castle. He works as the castle librarian. Or Gil, man! Gil is so cool!

Q. I herd you liek ninjas?

-A. ... I'm not touching this...

Q. Favorite gaming snack food?

-A. Bread. I munch on bread like no tomorrow. I'm in P.E. classes, so I'm okay in the stomach, but it's gonna take over one day. Crackers are good. Cheddar or butter garlic. Love munching on sweets. Chocolate is good. But I don't eat too much, else I feel sick. I'm into Swiss Cake rolls right now. You can buy a box of 12 rolls for a dollar at your local dollar store. :3

Q. If you could pair Jack with ANYONE but Ridley in the game, who would it be?

-A. Claudia. Or Valkyrie if it's an option, :p

Q. Rumor has it that you're thinking of a comic fanfic for Radiata...

-A. Rumor is right... n.n;; Though I'm not the best artist, I've been practicing. It'll be a comic featuring an OC from our world who walks into the dimension of Radiata and finds herself in the Elf region... and who's to greet her but Lord Zane's favorite assassin, Gil. Sound suspenseful? xD

Okay, end FAQ, xD Not that they're frequently asked anyway, but meh. Enjoy!

-Mayris

* * *

Kain waited for her response. Hands clenched into tight fists. Unease hung heavily between them.

"Algandars…" Flau stated grimly. "So… that's the underlying reason why the non-humans went to war against us. As well as that stupid Cross and his… stupid…" she grunted. "But Jack Russell tore down the cosmic balance of the world… so that humans could continue to live." She closed her eyes. Baring her teeth, she slammed her fists on the ledge. "This doesn't make any sense!" she snarled. "Why was my father chosen to be the one who died! He wanted to protect the humans! Wo why did Jack slay him!" She glared at the grill between them.

He sat reverently. She reacted as he expected. Impulsive and sorrowed. Covering up her sadness with anger. "Lucian wanted to kill the gold dragon's vessel. In order to keep the humans alive, he would have to kill Ridley Silverlake. Jack… had developed a strong feeling of love for the girl. And thus, he fought for that passion. Thus, he won," he explained. "Also, Jack wielded the Arbitrator. The same sword his late father used to slay the water dragon, Kelvin."

"I don't give a damn about some sword!" she bellowed. "Why couldn't Jack give my father a chance!"

Kain sighed. "Fate is not always so generous. You would find that both Ridley and Lucian, or rather, the gold and silver dragons, could never coexist."

She said nothing. Instead, she stood and exited the confessional. Leaning against the door outside, she listened to the sound of her breathing which broke between stifled sobs. No matter how it was put, the situation was completely unfair.

"Hey, Flau, what's up?" said a nonchalant voice. Jack was sitting on the ledge in front of her. A big grin stretched across his face.

Flaud tensed and looked away. "Shouldn't you be in the castle with your precious Ridley?" she sneered with clenched teeth. Knuckles whitened with the effort to not punch out the annoying brat who was currently pestering her.

"Huh? Well… yeah, but… I also enjoy walking around saying hello to everyone too. It sure has been a while since I came back to Radiata." He scratched the back of his head nervously. Her tone put him off.

She glared up at him. "Just get lost," she wanred, turning sharply and walking toward the courtyard beside the shrine.

Jack watched her for a moment, confused. Normally, Flau would snap at him, but t be completely venomous about it… that was strange. He shrugged and continued on his way.

"You seem bothered," Eon teased from the shadows. Against the wall and looking quite bored, he stared at her with one eye open.

Flau passed him without a glance. Closed her eyes even. Obviously, she wanted nothing to do with him this early.

"Hey! I'm talking to you!" he warned, jumping from his post and landing before her.

With her arms crossed, she tilted her head to the side, glaring up at him dangerously. "If you like me so much, then why don't you go Die In A Fire!" she shouted.

On cue, he pulled out a lighter and flipped it open. Flicking it until it ignited, he rested his hand above the flame. It took a moment before the cloth took. Eon stood there, motionless, letting the fire burn to his skin.

Angry, Flau slapped the lighter from his hand and pushed him back into the canal below. He flailed for a moment before losing his balance and toppling over the ledge. To add insult to injury, she threw the lighter in after him and walked away.

With ease, he caught the lighter before it hit the water as he poked his head out. "Can't she just tell me what's wrong?" he pondered aloud, wading to shore.

Later on, he searched for her. However, she was no where to be found. Not a trace. Eon declined to ask anyone, being too independent to do so.

~**RS~ Confessional~**

Flau wandered about in Septem Cave. Having gone with Rynka to train and have a long chat about the recent occurrences.

"So Ganz left and never came back, huh?" she asked, slicing through a blue lizard as it spat ice from its mouth.

Rynka struck down another that was heading for Flau. "Yep. Hasn't returned at all."

"Maybe you should ask Jack what happened," Flau suggested bitterly.

"That might be a good idea," Rynka nodded, finishing the battle. She flipped her weapon in the air and sheathed it before walking on. "So what's with you and the priest?"

"Huh?" Flau caught up next to her. "Oh… nothin' really."

Rynka stopped suddenly and turned to her, glaring. "You spent over an hour in the confessional. Something's up."

"Eh!" Flau exclaimed, backing away in alarm. "Were you… following me?"

"Hey, I'm just watchin' your back," Rynka put in sharply, crossing her arms. "Now that the war's over, everyone has a new agenda."

Flau looked down and sighed. "There's just a lot to take in now…"

Rynka blinked and then punched a all. "D-don't tell me you did it!"

"Wh-what? No! That's not it at all!" she stammered, blushing and putting her hands up. "Look. Yesterday after we got back from Fort Helencia… I met my father…"

"Wait… you serious? Your old man? Sure it wasn't some phony?" Rynka leaned against the cavern wall, ready for an explanation.

"Yeah," Flau nodded. "I made sure." She walked over and sat upon the ledge, looking down into the dark stream below. "It wasn't… how I imagined it. At all. Not how… I imagined him. Or our reunion. Nothing." She closed her eyes and yelled, "I want to hate him so badly!"

Rynka waited with her arms crossed. Not put off by her rage.

"The part that hurts the most is that he only came by to tell me he was going to go fight a battle," she said, shaking with tears. "And then he tells me that he's a legendary beast!" She stood, turning to Rynka. "A dragon! That dragon that Jack slew was my father!"

Rynka had closed her eyes. Calm and composed as usual. "At least you know," she said gently.

Flau laughed sarcastically, wiping the tears from her face. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Look, he at least got up the courage to confront you for a proper goodbye," she explained. "Something like this brought you down?"

Flau averted her gaze. "Not exactly. There's more…" she sighed.

"I'm listening."

Flau then proceeded to tell her about her struggles between Eon. Kain seemed so cold in allowing her to shape her own path.

"Ah… well, you see… there's a simple explanation for all this. Eon is in love with you. Because of his lifestyle, he can openly express his feelings. As for Kain, he's a high priest. A man that, in Radiata culture, represents a beacon of guidance and purity. You're in a completely different guild than him now. If you take the situation between you two into consideration… you must imagine how big of a scandal his feelings for you would become," she clarified, drawing it all out on the stone wall with a shard of talc.

"Scandal?" Flau inquired.

"You didn't think about that?" Rynka raised an eyebrow.

"Not really…" she stated.

"So how do you feel about Eon?"

"Feel? There's no feel! Just distaste!" she said sharply.

Rynka smirked and walked on, looking mischievous. She turned a corner and called out for Flau to hurry up. It was Flau's idea in the first place to explore Septem Cave.

As Flau rounded the corner, she stopped. A puzzled look adorned her face. "Rynka?" Her companion was no where to be found.

Wandering aimlessly, Flau eventually became lost. Rynka was no where to be found. Flau swore that she'd explored five different tunnels. There was still no sign of her. Not even a clue or a trace of her. "Rynka, this isn't funny anymore!" she shouted in frustration.

No answer. All she could do now was assume something had happened to her. Now to be lost and alone in a dark, eerie cave was something out of a horror story.

**~RS~ Confessional~**

Rynka hummed lightly as she wakled through the Blue Town of Water and Wisdom. She stopped outside the "OK Hand Accessories" shop. Spotting the ninja clad in dark clothes.

"Eon," she began hastily.

"Shh! You'll blow my cover!" he hissed.

Rynka rolled her eyes and put a hand on her hip. No one but her was around at the moment. "Flau's missing."

He narrowed his eyes skeptically. "What do you mean?"

Rynka sighed. "We were exploring Septem Cave together and we got split up. I couldn't find her anywhere without being ambushed, so I came back for help."

"Septem…?" He paled. For a ninja at her level, Septem was dangerous. She had little chance of survival on her own. "How long ago?" he asked firmly, beginning to walk toward Lupus gate.

"An hour or so," she informed solidly. Her message had now become a mission.

"Alright," he nodded. "Go inform Doctor Morfinn. I don't know what condition she'll be in, so prepare for the worst."

"Right," Rynka jumped over the ledge and ran for Olacion. She pulled herself up over the ledge and into the courtyard. Running into the shrine, she bolted through the hallway and entered the chapel.

"Kain!" Rynka called, coming to a halt and catching her breath. "Flau's missing! We were exploring Septem Cave and got separated!"

Kain closed his eyes momentarily. A smile of understanding came across his face. "Miss Flau will be alright." He caught Rynka's urgent expression and added, "But I shall go to make sure of that personally."

Rynka nodded. "Thank you."

Kain smiled and stood. Rynka watched him as he left for the door. Achilles obediently followed. Kain informed him that he needed Achilles to watch the shrine and convinced him that he would be safe.

Rynka left the shrine, nodding to Achilles. Morfinn's Clinic would close soon. She felt a little worried that it was getting so dark. Looking to the sky, she smiled before walking into the clinic.

"I'm sorry, but you'll need to make an appointment," Synelia smiled brightly.

"It's an emergency," Rynka stated.

Synelia marked something in her log book and looked up. "We get a lot of those. Nonetheless—"

"Is he even working?" Rynka accused.

"Oh, yes! Doctor Morfinn is testing a series of new medicines!"

Rynka narrowed her eyes and said dangerously, "If you wanna keep that pretty, little mouth of yours from getting' swollen, then you'll allow me to see him."

Synelia shuddered. "Umm… b-back there…" she motioned to the hallway beside the office. "First door… o-on the left…"

She nodded and went into the room, informing Morfinn of the situation. Immediate preparations were made. Rynka then left to Lupus Gate to wait for Flau's return. In whose arms would she come back in, Rynka wondered slyly.

**~RS~ Confessional~**

"Resilient, huh?" Flau breathed, wiping a fleck of blood from her mouth. A tortoise had her backed against a wall. Now a second was closing in behind the first.

She blocked as the first rushed at her. Gritting her teeth, the creature managed to knock her Raven Claw out of her hands. The impact of the second tortoise's rush knocked her off her feet and slammed her back into the wall. The first swiped a claw across her face. She winced as it cut through her skin.

Looking up to the ceiling, she blinked slowly, feeling numb. Frozen wind swept over her until she shivered and could barely move.

Silence. Was the attack over? Only the serene dripping of water reached her ears. Regardless, her consciousness faded.

**~RS~ Confessional~**

Eon wiped bug entrails off of his Kogitsunemaru. Regretfully, there were so many creatures to be slain. He made a promise to himself that he would repent of this somehow. Cutting down animals was worse than killing humans to him.

He'd started at the entrance of the cave. Knowing there was a drop if he started at the exit. Something he couldn't climb and thus opted for the longer route.

Pressing on, he reached a dead end and sighed. Retracing his steps, he came back to the split in the path and moved onward.

No sign of her yet. He easily walked on, defending against the tough enemies with ease. Up ahead, several tortoises were traveling the opposite way. Narrowing his eyes, he followed them.

Strange, they didn't turn to attack him. He wasn't even being all that quiet either. "Flau?" he called out softly.

No response. The tortoises didn't even turn to him. Growling, he gripped his Kogitunemaru. Steel cut through the arms and legs of the creatures. They lay motionless. Dead as it were.

Beyond the mass of creatures, he spotted a mangled body. Jumpin past the rest, he placed himself between the body and the remaining soldier tortoises. They nipped and clawed at him from behind. Promptly, he ignored them.

Turning, he lifted Flau's chin and placed his ear beside her lips. Warm air grazed the skin as he listened for her breathing. But the rest of her body was cold to the touch.

Getting on his knees, he removed his tunic, revealing a sleeveless tank top. He slipped the tunic beneath the small of her back and pulled her arms through the sleeves. It hung loosely on her, but at least she'd be warmer. Eon couldn't give her a heating tablet until she was revived. Best thing to do would be to get her to Morfinn's clinic immediately.

Carefully, he hoisted her onto his back, holding his hands beneath her knees. Her cold cheek rested on the nape of his neck. Before leaving, he spotted her Raven Claw and slipped it into a leather loop hanging from his belt.

Walking out the way he'd come, he heard footsteps behind him and stopped. They halted as he did. Eon stayed his breathing and listened. Flau was breathing steadily in his ear, but he didn't hear the sound of another.

Resting momentarily, he shifted Flau on his back and then continued.

Footfalls again! He stopped, silenced himself and strained his ears. Dead silence. He started out at a run, deciding it was best to leave quickly.

He reached the entrance of the cave and exited quickly, heading back toward Radiata hastily while making sure he had Flau secured. An idea came to mind as her limp body kept slipping from his grip.

Setting her down against a rock, he undid one of the belts from his trousers and knelt before her. Slipping the belt beneath the small of her back, he turned and tied it around his waist.

He hoisted her onto his back once more and continued on the winding path, assured that she wouldn't fall off.

Sighing, hs stopped. "Who's there?" The footfalls wouldn't stop haunting him. "Come out so I can kill you," he waned, pulling out his Kogistsunemaru with one hand while the other kept Flau balanced on his back.

Nothing again. Growling lightly, Eon sheathed his weapon and continued on his way. The wind blew comfortingly through his hair. Like an old, forgotten friend.

Lupus gate came into view. Eon paused and took a breath. Behind him, a horde of bandits were planning an ambush. As they readied their attack, several blasts of energy hit him, throwing them back. Eon stood in alarm, weapon at the ready. Searching for the source of the assault.

Kain strode into view, striking down a few more of them. The bandits jumped from their positions and shot bolts from crossbows. Aiming at Kain. Another group had closed in on Eon who easily defended with a few bombs.

Within moments, all the assailants were defeated and scurrying out of sight. Eon looked to Kain expressionless. They stared each other down until the hooting of a night owl called softly.

"Flau… is she…?" Kain began.

"She'll be fine," Eon answered shortly, closing his eyes.

"What about you?" he asked in concern.

"What about me?" Eon returned coldly.

Kain sighed. "Are you alright? Do you need anything healed?"

"No." He paused. "But… thanks…" he grumbled resentfully. Why did he have to show up here? In his heroic moment of all things? He had little against Kain. But it was the fact that the priest cared about him that really made him angry. Also that the woman he carried on his back was in love with the man. Jealousy rooted firmly deep within. What business did he have to even be out here at this time of day?

"Rynka…" Kain began, breaking the second awkward silence. Eon glared, suddenly defensive again. "She asked me to go look for Flau. But when I noted she was in capable hands, I opted to watch from afar. The footfalls you've been hearing were mine."

"Rynka? Hmph… so you've been following me," he grumbled. "Well… I'm taking care of Flau."

"I can see that. I merely came along to reassure Miss Rynka. However, I was also very concerned about Flau too," he said honestly.

Eon said nothing and began walking. When he noted that Kain wasn't behind him, he frowned and looked back. "C'mon then… we've got a lecture to deliver to Rynka…" he stated with a sigh. That woman had some explaining to do…

They reached Lupus Gate without too much trouble and saw Rynka waiting for them. She grinned widely and waved them down.

Eon cast her a dark, menacing glare and ordered firmly, "Follow." And then he took the lead toward the clinic.

Kain offered her a nervous smile before motioning her to go first. Narrowing her eyes, she did so, following Eon and glancing back as the priest walked with them.

Rynka sighed. It's going to be a long night, she thought.


	12. The Demon in the Darkness

_**A/N: Well it certainly has been a good while. For those wondering, there might be a good explanation for my undeclared hiatus. For those who care about me and my well-being, you may continue to read on in this author's note. If you do not care and want to just read the chapter, please skip the italicized and bold print to chapter twelve of Confessional! *clears throat* To begin, I have completed the Destined to Die arc and to be honest, I know it could have been much more than it ended up being. All I wanted was to close it and I pushed it out all too quickly. I am horrible at endings and I wanted to do something spectacular. At the same time I really wanted my frustration to end. So I valued my body and relieved myself of that stress. But this isn't about my other works right now. **_

_**Having completed chapter 12, it's easier to swing back into this one, and I supposed I just lacked that momentum for FFIX. But when I can insert a lot more conflict into this story, I am happy. But I'm still sad that FFIX flopped at the end. I'll do my best to not let this one fall in after it. **_

_**Personal lives are something I've learned quickly to omit from the outside world. But this isn't the outside world; this is the internet and I am comfortable writing to my readers about my well-being. I ran away from home in July of 2011 and I'm currently living with a friend and her family in Norman, Oklahoma. I've been working and going to school for I was accepted as a Psychology student at the University of Oklahoma. Last week I actually changed my major to Biochemistry and then realized that the field I've interest in would be better off played with a Chemistry major. I'm studying to become a toxicologist. I've had three different areas of work in the last two years. I've worked at Panda Express, Braum's and switched back to Panda Express again. Now I work at JoAnn fabrics as a sales clerk and I'm liking that the most. Having been involved with the Norman Medieval Fair as a Royal Court Cast member I've learned how to sew and put my artistic creativity to the test. I'm also doing cosplay commissions and I really want to work on a Lucian cosplay for myself and finding out how vertically challenged that would make me for his character. This summer I'm involved in a play hosted by the Arthurian Order of Avalon called 'The Tragic History of Doctor Faustus'. I've been cast as five of its characters: Lechery, Devil-Woman, Friar 2, Vintner's girl, and Helen of Troy. So I have a bit more work to get done. I am financially bound by several unavoidable obligations, but I'm figuring out how to solve them ASAP. **_

_**I am excited to continue this fanfiction and actually I am looking forward to a collaboration fanfiction for Radiata Stories with my friend and roommate yamijenny. I made her finish the game so we could write a fanfiction together. We often RP on paper and in voice, so hopefully this will be really fun. But I'll still work on Confessional at the same time. **_

_**Also! (a little personal side-note) I have a new all-time favorite band. Sonata Arctica. If you don't know of it, then that's okay. It took years of me listening to metal to finally hear of them. They are AWESOME. Tony Kakko—to me—is amazing. I love his voice and so do many other fans. My favorite song has to be "In The Dark". But…**_

_**Without further ado, here's chapter 12 of Confessional: The Demon in the Darkness!**_

Morphinn's Clinic quickly became unnaturally loud and a bit less empty from its normally deserted and hushed state. Rynka and Eon bickered loudly in the lobby while Kain assisted Morphinn with Flau's wounds.

"What kind of ally abandons their comrade in battle!? Septem Cave is the absolute worst place to leave anyone alone!" Eon chastised harshly.

"Actually, Eon, Borgandiazo was the absolute worst place. Flau can handle Septem just fine. Are you undermining her abilities as a bandit?" she argued calmly which contrasted greatly with Eon's rage.

"Of course not! Bandits are strong, but they are more effective in teams. But you shouldn't shovel her into abandonment like she's a knight! Hell, not even an honorable knight would do that!"

Rynka raised an eyebrow, hand on her hip. "What do you know about Flau anyway? All you are is a sad, lost puppy who follows her around like a sick stalker. You're nothing but a sicko! That's what you are, Eon! Flau wants nothin' to do with you! Your behavior creeps her out. If you love her 'oh-so-much', then leave her alone!" Rynka panted from yelling, her throat uncomfortably raw as she swallowed between breaths.

Eon stared down at the woman before him. Her arrogance sparked the anger and hate he held for humanity. Freedom was valued by their kind, but she was treating him like a child and abandoning friends. Bitterness spread over him like icy water and the dripping of acid on open wounds. "Despite what you think," he began, talking through clenched teeth, "it was a cruel thing to do to leave your ally alone in the wilderness. I will be reporting this to Void and may your head soon rest placidly on a metal pike for the betrayal of your allies."

"Thanks for your generous words," she smiled sarcastically. "And the implication that I 'abandoned' her."

"All elements of nature have turned against you," he hissed. "You will be hunted."

She pushed past him nonchalantly and marched to the door. "If I am to be hunted, then I shall do my best to put up a respectable fight."

Once she was gone, Eon turned and punched the nearby wall. It had been a while since he had been this angry. His fist shook as blood dripped from his torn knuckles. Still shaking, Eon left the reception and made his way up to the second floor. His shoes made a heavy thud noise with each step.

Kain was assisting Morphinn at Flau's side. "There shouldn't be any permanent scars. Right now I believe she just needs rest and lots of bandages," Morphinn chuckled.

"So there's no life threatening damage?" Eon asked with a raised eyebrow.

Morphinn turned to him with a frown. "Of course not."

"What about that gash she had across her chest?"

"Oh, that? It healed up very quickly. I noted some very powerful medicinal substances in her bloodstream. Probably administered before she even entered Septem Cave."

"Medicine? So she had been healing all this time?" he blinked several times, trying to wrap his head around the possibility.

Kain smiled. "It is wonderful to know that she was being watched over…" He closed his eyes and uttered a small prayer of thanks.

Eon rolled his eyes. This situation didn't sit well with him. As he looked down to Flau, he noted a silver glint over her head. It disappeared as soon as he saw it, but he continued to glare at the place like it would reach up and bite him.

"Why the scowl, Mr. Eon?" Kain asked as Morphinn left for the reception. He muttered something about a lot of medicines to make.

Eon snapped his attention almost brutally toward Kain. "Scowl? I ain't scowling… I'm simply watching her… and making sure a dirty priest like you can't touch her…"

"Why would I…" he gave a confused look and then sighed, shaking his head. Looking up to Eon with a smile, he said, "If you want her… I suggest you court her quickly. Pain only awaits her if she chooses me."

"Are you saying you feel nothing for her?" Eon grinned.

"No. I do love her… but I love her enough to see the consequences before they occur. I value her life as opposed to my own selfish desires. I've spent many years in training as a High Priest. I have a better capacity of holding back and keeping my childish behaviors from peeking through what's more important. In time, maybe you'll develop that too. But for now… you're young. If you showed her the proper respect, then it should not be difficult to win her hand," he nodded.

These words made little sense to Eon. "What? Win her hand? You mean marriage? Why would _I _marry anyone let alone a human?" This was not a concept Eon had been prepared to grasp. He really wanted Flau. He wanted her desperately. But as a companion or a pet… not as a wife… He didn't think long-term. Then again, was Flau the kind of girl to want something long term? What did Flau want? The more he thought about it, the more puzzled he appeared.

Kain simply laughed warmly. "Don't think too far ahead. If you do, you'll miss all the wonderful things that may come of this."

"All I want out of this is to show you how small you are, Priest," was his acidic answer.

Kain nodded with a smile. "Very well. Do you really wish to know how small I am, Eon? I am as small as a grain of sand in a vast desert, lucky enough to find a luminous diamond buried beneath the surface. I allowed the wind to take hold and carry me through the desert, dropping me here and there only to lift me up again and carry me away into my destiny. However, I allowed myself choices and decisions, choosing which wind would pick me up and where I wanted to drop. My path as a spokesman of the gods was partially my choice; more so my desire to serve Enjela. My love for her is as great as my love for the gods in which I have come to understand."

Eon closed his eyes and turned away. "I guess… you aren't such a hard-headed jackass." Though he could have done without the poetic lecture. But that was how Kain drew points home. Also, he made it clear that Kain's pride would not be affected if Eon pursued Flau. Was this an invitation? Did he want it this way? He no longer wanted to view Flau as a prize, but the battle was already won… "I won't allow you to shun your love for Flau. It's selfish and absolutely heartless."

Kain blinked several times and stepped back. "Selfish?"

"Yes. Selfish. You are selfish for neglecting your affections. If you neglect your feelings, it will only hurt her. She loves you Kain. She won't have me. Can't even stand my presence. There's no way she'll accept my feelings. But she wants you. She'll cross through fire and deep water for you. I'm even certain that for you she would even abandon her humanity." Eon gave her one last glance and sighed. "But it doesn't mean I will give up either. You better not just give her to me. If you do that I won't ever forgive you…" He stepped out of the room and down the stairs, leaving back toward home. There were things to be done and people to hunt.

Kain walked past Flau's cot and stared out at the sky, wondering what to do about this mess. He contemplated his own feelings, as Eon had subtly requested. Thinking over those moments, he felt an ache billow and grow at the thought of severing those emotions. As much as he desired to keep those feelings he felt were most important, it seemed a struggle to follow through with them. He would certainly be stripped of his status or even hang at a scaffold. That was definitely something he couldn't let her live with…

He looked back to her, observing her slightly flushed face and those fluttery eyelashes. Her perfectly curved lips and the soft, hushed breaths she took from her chest rising and falling peacefully. As he watched, he subconsciously approached. Kneeling to her level, he trailed his fingers over her lips, feeling their soft plumpness beneath them. His fingers trailed lightly over her cheek, smiling at the softness. He drew nearer and only glanced up to see if anyone was coming up the stairs. Though the touch to her lips was brief, he savored it as lengthily as he could. He pulled away slowly and froze. He could swear that her eyes twitched for a moment. Holding his breath, he stayed where he was. It was a fear and an excitement to see if she would awaken. How would he explain this suddenness were she to look up at him with her defiant, yet lustrous gaze? It seemed forever ago that he told her to pursue someone else, but here he was committing hypocrisy. This had to be their last private meeting. No longer would he meet her in their secret rendezvous even if it were behind grated metal windows. For if he continued, his longing would grow steadily. It was time for goodbyes. All the chaos he had started was because of his unbridled feelings.

Turning his gaze from her, he stood, avoided her completely, longing for one last glance. But he knew if he obtained that last glance, he would want her still more than that, craving a second and a third. There was too much at stake to allow his feelings to push through. He left the clinic hastily, heading back to the Olacion Order chapel.

Silence stirred Flau from her rest. There had been so much comfortable commotion that the hushed room made her edgy. Looking about the room lethargically, she tried to sit up, only to realize how much it actually hurt to move. Who had been here? All the voices had been jumbled into a makeshift lullaby for her sleep ease. Her head hurt tremendously, but somehow she didn't mind it too much. There was soft warmth reverberating within her. Probably just medicine, she thought.

Though she wondered when she was brought into the clinic. Someone had obviously found her in Septem Cave. How they knew where she was escaped her logic for as far as she knew, she was lost in a labyrinthine path that led practically nowhere.

_**~Confessional~**_

Eon entered the Vampire Club looking quite anxious since his exit from Morphinn's Clinic. As of now, he rested in the mindset of a vexatious Smilodon. Rynka's head on a shiny platter would settle his deadly thoughts; he knew exactly whom to ask for such a deal.

After nodding to Servia, he turned and walked up the stairs to the 'VIP' room. Nocturne was draped lazily over the couch like a sloth. He looked up at Eon when the boy peered around the corner from the stairs. The room reeked of booze and sweat. Eon did not want to think about what Nocturne had probably been doing for the past few days.

Nocturne looked up at Eon, his goatee almost hiding his smile completely. "Eon, my boy!" he shouted, standing and holding his sword pointed against him.

With wide eyes Eon backed away. "B-boss…?" he stammered.

"Do you actually have a purpose in disappearing for days and not checking in?" he growled.

Eon couldn't tell him that he'd been chasing a love interest. Clearing his throat, he said, "I was hunting traitors."

He raised an eyebrow. "Your story greatly lacks evidence. Everyone is here and accounted for."

Eon glared. "Rynka is not."

"Why are you concerned about her? She's not worth anyone's trouble." Nocturne turned away from him and sheathed his sword.

"She's still a member of Void and we have rules here in the guild, correct?" he pressed, advancing toward Nocturne while he was turned away.

"Not a step closer behind me, Eon," Nocturne warned. Eon stopped his advance. It seemed that Nocturne still did not trust anyone at his back. With a sigh, he confirmed, "Yes, we do have rules, or rather pacts in Void Community." He wasn't sure he liked where Eon was going with this. Targeting another Void member usually brought about civil conflict and much unnecessary bloodshed. Nocturne was not sure if he was really ready for such a conflict as of yet. Perhaps when he wasn't feeling so bitter about how many losses were made on behalf of one Jack Russell and his decision to turn against humanity. One young man had cost Void many great assassins. Even ones unbeknownst to most of its members. Trusting the catalyst of guild separation to Eon was like trusting a child with the knowledge of how to kill Nyx. He did not like this. Eon was too immature to make such a decision about inner-working assassinations.

"Rynka led Flau to Septem Cave. Once the two were deep in the labyrinthine tunnels, Rynka _abandoned _Flau, leaving her for dead," he emphasized. This bit was too delectable for him to edit or leave out. He watched, waiting for Nocturne's cool-collectiveness to bristle.

His muscles tensed and he picked up a bottle of wine from the table, gripping it hard until his knuckles were white. Beneath them, the glass had started to give way into a groaning screech. In a swift motion, he plunged it into the wall, sending shards and red splatters across the room.

Abandonment. Betrayal. There wasn't a person alive, human or non-human that he couldn't tolerate it from. Such decisions were far worse than death and deserved such a punishment. His voice shook as badly as his bloody hand. "Have the bounty placed on Rynka's head. Lay it next to that despicable Priest's!" he spat, turning and almost smacking Eon across the face; he barely had time to get out of range.

Still in his shock, Eon was grinning from ear to ear. This was all too easy; too perfect. Rynka would die, thus leaving his beautiful blossom flower open and unguarded for him to pluck away. "How much should she be worth?" he asked.

"Forty-thousand Dagols if dead. One-hundred thousand if she's alive," he stated.

"With that much on her head, her own son will bring her in," he laughed.

Nocturne smiled. "If only." He wrote out the bounty order and handed the order to Eon whom pocketed it in one of his ninja pockets.

The ninja turned and left, deciding he wanted a well-earned night's rest after placing the price on Rynka. Servia was skeptical of him when he re-entered the bar and passed without a word. He would visit Ortoroz, deliver the order and head home. Simple. Grinning to himself, he entered the Void Community Office and observed Garbella and Ortoroz talking amongst themselves. He slinked off in the corner and relaxed for a moment. That was until he was pulled down by the scruff of his neck and dragged out of the room altogether.

He heard a familiar yell as the back of his head hit the wall with excessive force. "Ah!" he grunted, wincing and then opening one eye to look at his captor.

Two skeptical catlike eyes stared down at him. "What were you doing in there?" came an accusatory question quickly from Elmo's lips. "Well?" He toyed with a dagger beside his brother's head.

"You're joking…" Sarcasm coated Eon's reaction like honey over words. Rolling his eyes, he looked away, shaking his head in disappointment. He moved to stand, only to have the dagger redirected at his neck.

"Answer the question. You're not supposed to be in there when Ortoroz and Miss Garbella are alone together," he grinned through his distaste, almost drinking in the fact that he could punish his elder brother for a misdeed.

Eon lowered his head and let out a warm chuckle. "Huh?" Elmo expressed, lessening his grip on the knife for a moment and trying to peer down to see what his brother was doing. Half a second later, he was pinned to the floor, arms outstretched beneath the claw like hands of Eon. The dagger skidded to the edge of the hallway, landing against the statue that held the switch to Nyx's room. "Ow!" Elmo cried, trying to wriggle out of Eon's grip. The movement only caused Eon to clench harder as he let out a low cat-like snarl.

Immediately Elmo quieted and stared up with wide eyes. His pupils dilated slightly with fear and he peered up into Eon's pupils which ate away at the irises in animalistic shock. His breaths came heavily and hastened. But as he observed his behavior, the grip on Elmo's arms lessened and his breathing slowed. Closing his eyes, he pulled his hands away to clutch his head. "Arrgh…" Pain surged through his body and then suddenly stopped, leaving him exhausted.

Meanwhile, Elmo had gotten away and was leaning against the wall pale as a sheet. "W-whoa…" he breathed. "W-what's the matter with you?"

Eon ignored the question and instead pulled his face mask down to wipe the condensation from his breaths. His mouth had even started to water from a suppressed hunger. This beautiful hunger which devoured his common sense and ate away at his humanity; something he deeply wanted to shed. He breathed deep the rushing of blood and sharpening of senses, longing for it to linger and give him sweet kisses of a life he longed to live. Thriving with those of nocturnal descent. But it was not the time for that. He had a job to complete. Looking to Elmo between his parted fingers, he held out the order. "To Ortoroz…"

Elmo crawled over shakily and snatched the order from Eon. He attempted to open it and then stopped at the growl emitting from his brother. "Okay, fine…" he grumbled. With a light knock on the door, he slid into the Office and disappeared.

In the midst of his mental breakdown, Eon reconsidered his agenda. Perhaps he needed to roam the night. But if he made an encounter with a certain bandit, he was unsure about what would happen to her at the mercy of his hands. Would her blood paint his pale white flesh? Or would she be crying in ways he could only mercifully imagine…? Oh how the possibilities stretched, just as his control started to. Around him the walls seemed to extend higher and then suddenly shrink, but at a slowness of molasses. He closed his eyes and pressed his fingers against the eyelids.

Think, Eon, focus, he willed. But the more he tried to think and focus, the harder it seemed to accomplish that simple task. His mind drifted in a haze between morality and desire. Morality of life, desire for death. Morality of restraint, desire for chaos. The conflict within built and layered one atop the other. Something proving impossible to disperse.

Colors blurred. Even space and time evaded his perceptions. Minutes felt like seconds and the pulsing of blood reached his ears, blocking his feather light footfalls. His opened senses were clogged with the neglected noises of his savage desires. All he knew was to keep moving. Forward, left, right, under, over. Even perceptions of distance were unmatched by any known scale. Walking… running… maybe jumping, he was headed somewhere. Somewhere his senses knew to go.

When he finally woke from his trance of desire, he stood in a deep wood, darkness encroaching every edge surrounding him. He lay crouched over something… someone… And dread filled his entirety as he recognized the human-esque shape of a body beneath his own. He pulled away, for he had been laying against the creature's ear, pressing his body heavily into this lifeless being.

His eyes dilated in the darkness as he captured glints of moonlight through the trees, allowing his vision to pick up sight and color. A woman… young and with crisp, blonde hair that fell to her shoulders. Though it seemed like she was sleeping, she lay peacefully with blood dribbling out of her mouth and streaming down her cheeks. His grip around the fatal dagger lessened. His mind numbed with questions. Why had he killed? Who was this girl? Why her? She was so young; not much older than fourteen.

Trembling hands brushed her pale white face, smearing crimson liquid across her nose and mouth. He felt no sentiment toward humanity, but this had no visible explanation… Frustration boiled within him. Control had slipped through the safeguard of his mind at the cost of an innocent life.

Laughter filled the small grove from behind him. Without hesitating, Eon pulled the dagger from the lifeless body before him and turned on his heel, ready to hush that insidious chuckle. Instead, he came face to face with a giant of a man whom stood at least twice as tall as he was. Red hair stood up in thick spokes about the man's head and his eyes were a powerful, piercing orange. He was clothed in what looked like a tribal robe. "Well, well… What's this?" the giant asked in a heavy accent, pushing past Eon and searching about the grove. He stopped and sniffed the air, approaching the dead girl and then suddenly stopping. "Poor lass," he sighed, clicking his tongue. "Humans are so fragile…" He shook his head and sighed. "Aphelion tried to prevent this… looks like he misunderstood the fact that humans are the killers of their own kind…"

Eon glared up at him. "I… I don't even remember doing this!" he yelled, gripping his head. Nothing was recollecting in his memory. He had the scarcest idea where he even was.

"Do ye? What are ye, lad?" he tilted his head to the side.

"I'm a… human…" he muttered, feeling slightly ill. Humans had little concern for nature. It felt uncomfortable fitting himself into that mold. "I… I don't like it… It's very sickening. I don't… I don't want to be human…"

The man looked to him with a frown. The role of the humans had changed. Humans were no longer governed by dragons. "There's no changin' your fate, lad… but I don't see the problem. You're not human to begin with…"

"What do you mean?" he looked hopeful… but scared.

The man smiled. "A distant race… I do smell human blood within you… but the other part is from a distant land. Why, you're a half-demon, lad!" he exclaimed.

"Half-demon?" he blinked, "I'm a…" and then trailed off. "Just… who do you think you are to tell me what I am and what I'm not?" he pointed the dagger at him again. It still dripped with blood.

The large man placed a hand on his head. "Calm yourself. Me name's Parsec. And you are?"

Eon almost opened his mouth and then shut it, glancing back at his last victim. He was certain she was from a nearby village. "According to you… I'm just a demon!" Digging his feet into the ground, he catapulted himself beyond the man, jumping through the trees just to get away from his sin.

Parsec frowned after him and then approached the girl. "Poor, poor lass…" he sighed, kneeling down and scooping her up. "Perhaps Lord Zane feels like being generous…" He thought about it for a moment. "Perhaps not…" he said, following up with a cackle as he walked off. He could at least tell the family of the girl. Turning, he started out of the grove and only stopped when he heard a rustling of leaves. "Huh?" Looking around, he noted that the undergrowth had been disturbed. Someone had been listening.

"I didn't expect… someone like you to show sentimentality toward humans, Parsec… I suppose things like this only happen over time," came a cool, smooth voice that Parsec knew all too well.

Parsec huffed, furrowing his eyebrows. "An' what wonderful timing you have. I was waitin' to see when you'd finally awaken… took ya long enough… not that I'm pleased to see ya…" he closed his eyes, the grip on the dead girl tightening.

The man stepped into the moonlight bristling through the trees. Long, black hair cascaded down his back moving freely without a ribbon in it. He looked tired and paler than usual. He wore a pair of black trousers and a white tunic. White boots covered his feet. "It was a long while of swimming through the abyss of darkness and stream of souls… but yes, I have awoken…" This explained the fatigue.

"Still keeping up that poor advisor's façade? Don't ya think Mr. Hewitt has had enough, Aphelion? It's unkind to use the same man for your selfish devices…"

Lord Lucian approached a little closer. "Ah, but you see… I've spent so long in this human that I've incorporated pieces of him within me… I suppose you could say the two of us are essentially one…"

"Hmph… if that's how the twin dragons operate…"

"If you question how the vessels work, then you clearly do not understand the complexity of our origins… Yes, I am Lucian Hewitt, but I am also Aphelion. And before I was Lucian Hewitt, I was my previous vessel. Through my vessels, I feel and see… If you had the chance to spend time with Ridley Silverlake, then you would better understand the nature of the twin dragons. But you, unlike me, met Ridley after her transpiritation."

"So ye proclaim through one generation that ye are the wisest of them all, eh?"

He shook his head. "Not at all. But my intention was not to speak with you… I have a promise to keep…" Lucian attempted to walk past him and then paused, meeting the glare of the fire dragon. "What is it?"

As he looked up, he received a resounding blow to his cheek. Stumbling back, Lucian cupped his cheek, a look of shock adorning his face. "I feel that ye deserved that…" Parsec said joyfully. "Humans are not under your guardianship anymore, 'Lucian'. So maybe it's time for you to simply find another job…"

Lucian stared at him for a moment in confusion and then he smiled. "Maybe you're right… is there an unemployment department for dragons?"

Parsec did not laugh at the joke and waited until Lucian left the grove before he continued to the nearby village the girl came from.


	13. Behind Closed Doors

_**A/N: Here's chapter 13! Enjoy~~~~~~~ *laughs maniacally***_

Flau had enough of lying in bed wasting away. She sighed and rolled over, only to have pain etch through her side like needles, causing her arms to give out. Collapsing to her stomach, she let out a cry into the pillow, muffling any noise. Weakness gave her more nausea than her actual wounds.

Morphinn hobbled up the stairs at the sound of the muffled cry. He had a tray of medicines with him. "I knew you'd be awake at any moment, Miss Flau!" he said cheerily. "And I've just finished concocting your medicines."

Tilting her head up, she managed to catch sight of him as he set the tray on a cot beside hers. Truth be told she had been awake since the silence encroached her sleep. Morphinn helped her to sit up and she cringed the whole way, feeling a hundred needles prick her belly. "The wound is almost completely healed so what you're feeling is the stress of the new tissues," he explained, pulling away the bandages and preparing a salve to spread over the newly healed site.

Once the salve was spread and medicine administered, Morphinn gave her a quick check up and helped her to her feet. The pain was lessened greatly, to Flau's relief, and she could even stand up straight and walk without trouble. "Thank you," she bowed to Morphinn before turning and walking out of the clinic.

He laughed warmly and went off, muttering something about new medicines, leaving her feeling a little uneasy. Synelia waved her goodbye before going back to work. It would be another boring day. It had been quiet since Jack Russell had left Radiata Kingdom. Even after his return, he'd been stuck at the castle. Synelia wondered if he was faring well. She dismissed the thought and returned to work.

Flau wandered the streets of Olacion, thinking over the last few days. Eon had been so sincere… and she hated him for it. But Kain had been so cold. If he loved her, then he shouldn't be ashamed of it! Sure it was a scandal… but… She sighed, pushing her selfishness aside. Leaning over the ledge in front of the shrine, she let out a heavy sigh. "I… I want to see him… but he doesn't want anything to do with me…" Her fists clenched, stressing the leather of her gauntlets. All of these emotions ripped and tore at her insides. Biting her lip, she refrained from the tears threatening to overcome her completely. What stopped her? Religion? Hah! She was merely a 'follower' of the Olacion way… Turning on her heel, she stomped into the chapel.

The Usuals littered the pews. Vitas, Lulu, Cosmo, Fernando; all once familiar faces. Some of them gasped in surprise and others in shock. It was the first time she entered the chapel during a service. Kain's voice gently swept over the congregation as he delivered messages from the talkative gods. Stepping forward, she reached the first seats and walked past them. Achilles—at Kain's left on the floor looked up in confusion and shock. She wasn't stopping. He reached out an arm and followed her. But having seen him move from his post, she hastened to Kain's side. Flora even tried to follow Achilles up the steps and then stopped.

Kain closed his eyes. He had been in a trance delivering the sermon; so much so that he hadn't even noticed Flau beside him until she grabbed him by the elbow and turned him to her. When he was face to face with her, she pulled him close in the embrace and kissed him upon the lips. For a moment, he was lost in wonder, his eyes fluttering closed. Seconds later the realization poured over him. Gasps filled the room followed by murmurs and sharp whisperings. Flau's expression softened as she allowed herself to feel the one thing she longed for since departure. His lips against hers. Slowly, she pulled away and then bowed her head to him. "Consider… I'm the one who pushed you into this…" she muttered to him. "So this scandal: it is my doing."

He placed a hand on her shoulder and pulled her chin up to his view. Though his stoic façade, she noted the flushing of his cheeks. "Flau... you… I…" he stammered, lost for words.

"WHAT'S THIS? SUCH DISRESPECT!" A loud screech filled the room. Strutting to the front of the chapel was Lady Anastasia flanked on either side by Elena and Adina, her twin apprentices. "FLAU! WHAT ARE YOU DOING PRESSING YOUR VIRGIN LIPS AGAINST THE HIGH PRIEST!?" With each bellow, a strand of hair came undone from her tight bun atop her head. Veins pulsed visibly at her temples, bulging out of her flesh.

The first thing that Flau registered… Virgin lips. Wishful thinking, Mistress Anastasia. She refrained from a cheeky smile and immediately bowed her head in shame. Obedience was mandatory around this banshee of a woman. The pews were clearing as Godwin and Fernando had begun to usher the members out of the chapel.

Fernando let out a small chuckle as he passed Godwin. "What's so funny, Fernando?" Godwin asked, looking up at the taller man.

"Lady Anastasia's boisterousness. Also, I'm surprised she's just now finding out about Flau and Kain. It is rather cliché, isn't it?" Fernando grinned.

"How is that?"

"Just that the gods may have different plans for them both," he answered.

Godwin laughed and followed Fernando out of the chapel as well, leaving Anastasia and her group to confront Flau along with Kain, Achilles, and Flora.

Flau looked from Anastasia to the twins who looked a bit surprised and a little apologetic. Shaking with fear, she leaned against Kain. "You will come DOWN from that scaffold and accept your punishment! As long as you are on Olacion grounds, you are under MY jurisdiction!" Her voice seared just as bad as it had years ago during previous reprimands.

She opened her mouth to argue and then closed it. Turning from Kain, she made her way down the steps, only to have a firm, warm hand stop her in her tracks. "I believe, I have business with you, Miss Flau," came the High Priest's threatening voice. Though his voice shook with fury, his hold was loose and she could pull away if she wanted to.

"I…" she turned to him and saw the glint of danger in his eyes. That glint silenced any argument. She obediently hung her head.

"Oho! So he's going to take care of you himself!" Anastasia bellowed. "Well, I'm fine with that… maybe he'll have you locked away in Void Community where you belong! Hmph!" She turned and stomped out, closely followed by Adina and Elena—whom paused to give Flau an apologetic glance before hurrying to keep up with Adina. Flora left the chapel and proceeded to help Godwin and Fernando calm the populous. Achilles retreated and waited patiently.

Kain's grip tightened as he started moving off of the scaffold, forcing Flau to follow him as he led her by the wrist. She tugged against him experimentally which caused his grip to tighten almost painfully. As he walked off of the scaffold, Achilles attempted to follow. Kain merely turned which stopped the monk in his tracks. He gave a humble nod and backed away.

The two walked through the hallway to the right. They walked to the wall with a giant statue of a tree and stopped. Kain raised his hand and closed his eyes. A light grew in the center of his palm and he placed it upon the tree's leaves. A loud scraping noise was heard as the wall pulled away, revealing a bright corridor. It took them walking through the wall and it closing behind them for Flau's eyes to adjust to the brightness. They stood in a simple, circular room. Glass windows set in each slight curve and were covered with linen drapes. The floor was a warm beige tiling and the ceiling a dull green. There was an arrangement of plants along the wall and a fountain lay placidly in the center of the room. Underneath one of the windows was a wooden desk which matched the floor tiles. A cot was on the opposite side of the room.

Papers and books littered the white desk, but more interestingly there was an obsidian necklace atop a gold basin which had a mirror in the center of a pale gold lining. She looked from the basin to Kain and then back. Was it possible that he was also a practitioner of dark magics? Even a high priest… perhaps there was more going on than she wanted to understand. "What is that?" she asked bluntly pointing to the set up on the desk.

"What's what?" he asked, looking in the general direction.

"That." She pointed again.

"There are many things in that direction. Care to specify?"

She glared at him. Was he really going to behave so shortly with her? After all, he DID shun her affections and treat her like a criminal… maybe she did deserve a bit of his wrath. She had interrupted his sermon to show public display of affection to him. Not to mention he only shunned her affections to protect her.

With a sigh, she went over and picked up the obsidian stone and pointed to the basin while holding it up. "What is this?"

He looked down. "Ever hear of dirty little secrets?"

"Dark magic, Kain? Really?" She threw the necklace down and placed her hands on her hips. "Explain yourself, oh great and high priest of Olacion Order!"

Kain closed his eyes and removed his hat. It had been years since Flau was able to lay eyes upon his sandy blond hair. And she hated to admit that the sight caused her face to flush. Walking to a small table, he set the hat upon its surface. He took his time observing its structure, running his fingers over the flaps and readjusting the way it sat, preventing it from wrinkling. "I've been searching for Priestess Enjela…"

"Though dark magics?" she pressed.

"No." He turned to her and walked over, holding her by the shoulders. "Flau, it's not dark magics… it's earth magics."

She furrowed her gaze. "What's the difference and why do you know the differences? Who taught you this art?" Shaking her shoulders, she pushed his hands away.

"Cecil." When she looked at him disapprovingly, he held up one of his books. "He set a whole parameter of guidelines. I simply followed them. Look, I have to find Enjela. I know she's alive. And she's still searching for the Stone of Miracles."

"You're still after that bloody stone…" she breathed. "Look, if you want it so bad… I'll go and get it for you! Maybe she'll come back if I do!"

"Flau… please don't mock me…" he sighed.

"Mock you? Really? You think I'm mocking you? When I pour my heart out to you and you ignore my feelings for the sake of my safety? Do you trust me so poorly that you believe nothing of my ability to defend myself? Am I so… dangerous to your career that I've become a liability?" She took steps toward him with each accusation, eyes flaring with anger when underneath her sorrow spiked. "So you're giving me over to Eon? Why? What makes you think I want him? We're just… allies. That's it. Maybe not even that! If only you could understand my feelings maybe you would understand how your words make me fe—"

His lips were pressed to hers and almost instantly, she became submissive to his touch. He held her close about the waist and cupped her head in his hand, tilting her up to his lips. The kiss was gentle—as it always had been. His touch made her mind swim comfortably and carelessly. Her arms wrapped around him, one of her hands brushing into his sandy hair whose strands were as soft as feathers. When her hand entangled itself, he let out a small moan and pulled her closer, opening his mouth to catch her lips between his in a small nibble. They both pulled away, leaving only a few seconds of intermission before the two of them could not bear the painful phase of separation.

He kissed her again and she happily obliged, taunting him with open-mouthed nibbles. The two of them eventually found a place on the floor of his room. He had stripped off his priest robe and set it on the floor. Beneath he wore a beige tunic and green trousers. Breathing heavily, he looked down to her, suddenly aware of their actions. But his duties seemed distant and in a faraway place. He lay next to her and nuzzled her shoulder.

She wanted to say something, but instead opted to enjoy the silence with him. She wrapped an arm around him and settled herself atop his chest. At some point they had ended up on the floor, lost in the ecstasy of the moment.

"I'm searching for Enjela… to ask her advice… Even if she doesn't return, I'd like to know if I am truly not allowed to have the feeling of love. A feeling I long for so much, but can only experience it at a limited pace. I cannot give in…"

"Haven't you already sinned?"

He looked to her with a lazy smile and nodded once. "Twice."

She grinned. "So are you going to confess your sins?"

Kain let out a small chuckle. "I probably should…" He sat up and removed his glasses, running his hands through his hair. "But would you really care to hear such petty things?"

"Am I a high ordained priest?"

"Well, no."

She grinned and crawled over to him, perching her hands on his knees and stealing a kiss from his smile. "Well, sirrah, I don't think I could warrant you such an honor. I'm not a priest… and I too have my sins… whereas you are supposed to stand sinless."

He stole back the kiss from her. "Me?" Kiss. "Sinless?" Another kiss. "My dear you are mistaken…"

"I suppose I am. But maybe I like being mistaken."

Wrapping his arms about her waist, he pulled her atop him and laid back. "I've never… been like this with anyone… it is… very nice…"

Flau nuzzled into his shoulder. "Yeah…" She was glad her head was buried to his shoulder. She knew her face was flushed. And quite dramatically.

As they lay there, he absently ran a hand through her hair.

"Have you had any luck? Finding Enjela?" Flau asked, trying to change the subject so she wasn't as nearly as flustered as she felt.

"Enjela is… in a very large labyrinth. Have you ever heard of the Dragon Lair Cave?"

She shifted to look into his warm, green eyes. "No… not really."

He chuckled. "If you had, I'm sure certain sources would have silenced you long ago. It's a cavern where the dragons sleep. Only one particular man knows of its full depth."

"Whom?"

"Genius Weissheit. And another. Jack Russell."

She sat up and took a deep breath in. Without a word, she smiled to him, kissed him briefly and stood, sprinting out of the room as if she was just a mirage or a figment of his imagination. "Flau! Wait! Where are you…?" he trailed off, his outstretched hand reaching toward the door. After she was gone, he stood and hurried to close the wall she left out of. Turning quickly, he headed toward the desk. There was no telling what kind of magics he would have to initiate to secure her safety. Dragon Lair Cave was almost uninhabitable. If she couldn't survive Septem Cave alone, it was doubtful that she would be able to survive a minute alone in the Dragon Lair Cave. This was a death mission, but he could inquire the gods for her protection. He wondered if they were angry with him for the earth magic he'd utilized, but he had found Enjela. It was now Flau's destiny to confront that which she was deeper intertwined with than she expected.


End file.
